Women’s Champions League Kicks Off with New Format, High-Stakes Matchups
The 2025-26 Women’s Champions League group stage begins this week with a revamped format and a slate of compelling storylines, including Manchester United‘s debut campaign and questions surrounding Barcelona‘s depth following meaningful squad changes. This season marks a shift from the previous group stage to a league phase, aiming to increase competitive balance and fan engagement.
New league Phase Format
The competition now features a 16-team league phase, replacing the customary group stage. Teams will play eight matches – four home and four away - against different opponents. The top eight teams will automatically advance to the knockout stages, while teams finishing ninth through sixteenth will compete in a playoff round for the remaining spots.
Key storylines to Watch
* Manchester United’s Debut: After years of absence, Manchester United enters the competition facing a challenging group including Juventus, Olympique Lyonnais (OL), Wolfsburg, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). This campaign will be a crucial test for the club and could influence future investment decisions. United begins their campaign with a home match against Valerenga on Wednesday (8pm BST / 3pm ET).
* Barcelona’s Challenges: Despite reaching a fifth successive Champions League final last season, Barcelona entered the 2025-26 season with a reduced squad of 17 first-team players due to cost-cutting measures.The club lost 17 players in the transfer market, including Jana Fernandez, Lucia Corrales, Rolfo, and Ingrid Engen. While Barcelona remains dominant domestically-currently top of the Primera Division with six wins from six and a goal difference of 30-1-concerns remain about their depth and vulnerability to injuries. Barcelona faces Bayern Munich on Tuesday (8pm BST / 3pm ET).
* Bayern Munich’s Ambitions: Bayern Munich, fresh off completing their first German double last season, faces a difficult group including Barcelona, Arsenal, PSG, and Juventus. the return of midfielder Lena Oberdorf from a year-long ACL injury provides a significant boost.
* Mary Earps Reunion: Manchester united will face former goalkeeper Mary Earps when they play against Paris Saint-Germain.
How to Watch
DAZN has the exclusive rights to broadcast the Women’s Champions League in several regions. specific broadcast details vary by country. Check local listings for availability.
(Top photo of Arsenal winning last season’s Women’s Champions League: Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
