Women's Champions League: Key challenges for Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United

The Women’s Champions League enters a new era this week with the launch of its inaugural league phase. Three English clubs—defending champions Arsenal, title-holders Chelsea and debutants Manchester United—face challenging paths to the quarter-finals.

Revised Format

This season’s competition mirrors the men’s format but with 18 teams instead of 36. Each side will play six matches instead of eight. Top four teams advance directly to the quarter-finals, while teams ranked fifth to twelfth enter a two-legged play-off. Clubs finishing thirteenth to eighteenth are eliminated.

English Clubs' Prospects

Arsenal

The Gunners, two-time winners, open at home against Lyon before facing Benfica, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Twente and OH Leuven. Following a rocky start to their domestic season, they aim to defend their crown.

Chelsea

Despite domestic dominance, the Blues have yet to claim Europe’s top prize. They will meet Twente, Paris FC, St. Polten, Barcelona, Roma and Wolfsburg. New signings Ellie Carpenter and Alyssa Thompson, plus the return of Sam Kerr, boost their ambitions.

Manchester United

United make their Champions League debut after two qualifying rounds. Drawn with Valerenga, Atletico Madrid, Paris St-Germain, Wolfsburg, Lyon and Juventus, they hope to balance WSL commitments and European competition with squad rotation.

Contenders Beyond England

Barcelona, five-time finalists and three-time champions, remain favorites. Olympique Lyonnais, eight-time winners, and German sides Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg also look poised for deep runs, boasting strong squads.

Key Fixtures

• Arsenal vs Lyon (h) – 7 Oct
• Chelsea vs Barcelona (h) – 20 Nov
• Man Utd vs Paris St-Germain (h) – 12 Nov

Broadcast Details

INLIBER Sport will broadcast up to seven live matches, including the final, on INLIBER TV, iPlayer and the INLIBER Sport app. Highlights and live commentary will also be available across digital platforms.

The introduction of the league phase adds new layers of competition, demanding greater squad depth and consistency from Europe’s elite women’s teams.

This topic was reported by BBC Sport.

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