Ahead of the league phase getting underway, here are three reasons to be excited for what this campaign's edition has to offer.
Four debutants looking to make their mark
One thing that always stands out when the Champions League proper begins is the new teams involved.
In what is the third year under the current set-up - a 36-team league phase with eight matchdays - a total of 13 teams have made their bow at this point. All three seasons, including this term, there have been at least four debutants, with the 2024/25 tournament having five.
This season, Como, Sabah Baku, LASK Linz, and Viking are the latest teams to play group phase football in Europe's premier club competition. That takes the total number of clubs to make it this far to 163 since the first edition in 1992/93.
Cesc Fabregas' Como side enjoyed their best-ever finish in Italian football, claiming third spot ahead of former UCL winners AC Milan and Juventus. They will be one to watch, given the quality of their squad.
Both LASK and Viking have played in the UCL, but in the qualifiers. The former ended a 61-year wait to claim the Austrian title, while the latter won the Norwegian crown 34 years on from their last one back in 2025. In total, the duo have five wins in the European Cup/Champions League, and will aim to be competitive versus Europe's elite.
Sabah's story is even more incredible. A decade on from the club's birth, they had to start in the first qualifying round. After winning the double in Azerbaijan last campaign - the league title being their first in club history - they won six of their eight matches this summer, including a dramatic play-off round comeback, to get here. A year on from Qarabag's remarkable run, Bayquslar will surely have nothing to lose.
Familiar names make long-awaited return
Among the 36 teams in this season's league phase, there are some that have had to wait quite some time to get back this far.
After making the UEFA Conference League final in 2024/25, Real Betis will play in the UCL proper for the second time. Their other appearance came some 21 years ago, where they finished third in their group. Times have changed, and Los Verdiblancos now have eight games to contest as they attempt to make the knockout stage at the second attempt.
Fenerbahce's return is also quite the story. Sari Kanaryalar's were no strangers to the qualifying rounds, especially in recent years. Between their last appearance in the competition proper back in 2008/09, the the 19-time Turkish champions participated in the qualifiers 10 times. After nine failures, they found their way past Lyon in August's play-off round to finally end their lengthy absence.
AEK Athens and AS Roma also had to wait a while to make their return. The Greek champions, who beat Levski Sofia last month, will want to improve on their six losses in 2018/19, which was their last appearance. That season was also the last time the Giallorossi graced the Champions League stage, losing in the round of 16. However, the side from the Italian capital have enjoyed some serious success in the Europa League and Conference League, winning the inaugural UECL title in 2021/22 before making the UEL final a year later.
In comparison to those above, big names like Porto and Manchester United have not been away from the competition for too long. Both clubs last played in the competition back in 2023/24, with this this being their first appearance in the league phase era. With that said, for the teams with the fourth and fifth most UCL group phase showings all-time, missing two years in a row feels like an abnormally long absence.
Exciting first-time match-ups on the horizon
Something many critics will point out about the Champions League is the fact there are many repetitive matches year-on-year. How many times have Real Madrid and Manchester City faced each other over the past few years? Or Bayern Munich and PSG?
Yes, inevitably there will be several games that between clubs who are more than familiar with one another over the next few months. However, there will also be some enticing games that will take place for the first time in UEFA club competition play.
Fenerbahce will take on Atletico Madrid at the end of January. For two sides with plenty of continental pedigree, it comes as a surprise that they are only facing off for the first time in 2027. Given the strength of the two squads, it promises to be a cracking match-up in Istanbul.
Another intriguing tie we will see for the first time is between Roma and PSG. Sure, the Italian side may have been away for a few years, but their trip to the French capital in December to face the two-time defending champions is certainly one worth watching.
Former winners Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund are also set for a first-time match. Of course, the Germans play in the UCL year-on-year, but despite Villa's former European glories, they have only qualified for the UCL group phase twice. This tie will occur in January at Villa Park.
Sporting CP and Galatasaray are set to face off in the opening round. The sides from Portugal and Turkiye are no strangers to the Champions League scene with a combined 32 group phase appearances. When also considering they both have European trophies to their name, it is a rather unexpected first-time clash.
Other fascinating games we will see during the league phase for the first time include PSV vs Club Brugge, Arsenal vs Lille, and Inter Milan vs Stuttgart.