Arsenal will face Inter Milan in this season’s Champions League league stage.
A UEFA regulation change would effectively prevent Arsenal from facing Inter Milan at the San Siro during next season’s Champions League league stage. Let’s explain.
Arsenal learnt this week who they will face in this season’s Champions League league phase: Bayern Munich (H), Inter Milan (A), Atletico Madrid (H), Club Brugge (A), Olympiakos (H), Slavia Prague (A), Kairat Almaty (H), and Athletic Bilbao (A).
Mikel Arteta’s club was once drawn against Inter Milan in the eight-game 36-team league round, and they are due to meet the Serie A heavyweights on January 26, 2026.
Inter finished fourth in the league last season, but after defeating Barcelona in the semi-finals, they suffered the greatest defeat in Champions League final history to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Gunners, however, will be looking for vengeance after losing 1-0 to Inter at the San Siro on matchday four in 2024/25.
Arsenal will return to the San Siro in January, but due to a UEFA regulation change, they will be unable to face Inter at the 75,000-capacity stadium next season.
According to the UEFA website, the UEFA Club Competitions Committee has established an additional condition that may apply to the Champions League draw for the 2026/27 season, stating that no individual fixture between the same two teams may be repeated in the same competition with the same home team for three consecutive seasons.
As previously stated, Arsenal visited the San Siro last season and will face Inter at the venue on matchday seven in January 2026.
The website adds: “This means that if any teams that already played against each other in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in the 2024/25 season are again drawn against each other, with the same home team, in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in this 2025/26 season, those teams will not be able to be drawn against each other with the same home team in the 2026/27 season (although, for the sake of clarity, those teams may still be drawn against
In summary, if they were to face each other next season, the match would be held at the Emirates.
The regulation change would also prevent Real Madrid from meeting Liverpool at Anfield during the 2026/27 Champions League league phase.
When do clubs submit their squads for the 2025/26 UCL league phase?
Arsenal, who have yet to reveal their squad list for the competition’s league phase, have until Tuesday, September 2 at 24:00 CET to submit.
“Every club must submit two lists of players, including details such as shirt number, date of birth and nationality,” according to the European Football Association’s website.
“In addition, the lists must include certification from the club’s doctor that all players have completed the requisite medical assessment. List A must be submitted to the relevant association, confirmed, validated, and transmitted to UEFA by Tuesday, September 2 at 24:00 CET. The same procedure applies to List B (see below), which must be submitted no later than 24:00 CET the day before each match.”
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