Women's Champions League: Titleholder Arsenal to play Lyonnes, Bayern, Madrid in new league format

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FILE - Arsenal players celebrate with their trophy after winning the women's Champions League final soccer match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)

Manchester United's scorer Elisabeth Terland, left, and her teammate Melvine Malard, right, celebrate their side's third goal during the women's Champions League third qualifying round, second leg, soccer match between Manchester United and Brann in Leigh, England, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. (Barrington Coombs/PA via AP) — FILE - Arsenal players celebrate with their trophy after winning the women's Champions League final soccer match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)

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5:00 AM on Friday, September 19

The Associated Press

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Titleholder Arsenal will start its Women’s Champions League defense with games against record eight-time winner OL Lyonnes, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the new league-phase format.

Barcelona, which reached the past five finals and won three, got a slate of six opponents including Chelsea — which it beat in the 2021 final — and Bayern in the expanded 18-team draw made Friday.

Though Barcelona has retained star players Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, there was an offseason exodus of players in fallout from financial problems in the men’s team.

Bayern was drawn with both Arsenal and Barcelona from the pot of top-seeded teams and also got Paris Saint-Germain in one of the toughest six-game slates.

Chelsea got Wolfsburg, a two-time champion and four-time beaten finalist, as well as Barcelona.

Champions League debutant Manchester United will have a tricky first campaign with OL Lyonnes, Wolfsburg, PSG and Juventus among its opponents.

Another newcomer, OH Leuven of Belgium, was drawn to play both Arsenal and Barcelona.

The 54-game league phase starts Oct. 7 and ends Dec. 17.

Teams that finish first to fourth in the standings advance directly to the quarterfinals. Those ranked Nos. 5 to 12 go to a knockout playoffs round. The bottom six teams are eliminated.

The total prize money fund is 18.2 million euros ($21.4 million) to be shared among the 18 teams. Each gets a basic 505,000 euros ($594,000) with bonuses for results and advancing to each knockout round.

The competition has a new broadcast deal with pay-TV operator Disney+ through the 2030 season. Some games will be shown live by free-to-air national networks.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer