These 10 Clubs Received the Champions League Draws Nobody Wanted

Sabah have received the most difficult Champions League league-phase schedule for the 2026/27 season, according to Opta.

Opta ranked the strength of every team’s eight opponents using its Power Rankings.

The system rates more than 16,000 clubs from 0 to 100.

Opta calculated the average rating of each club’s opponents. A higher score means a more difficult schedule on paper.

Sabah finished top with an average opponent rating of 92.2.

The Azerbaijani club will host Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Slavia Prague.

Sabah will travel to face Arsenal, Manchester United, Villarreal and Viking.

French club Lens received the second-hardest draw with a rating of 92.1.

Lens will play Manchester City, Liverpool, Sporting CP, Club Brugge, Bodø/Glimt, RB Leipzig, Como and Slavia Prague.

Slavia Prague and Atlético Madrid share a rating of 92.0.

Manchester City have the most difficult schedule among the English clubs. Their opponents have an average rating of 91.7.

City will face Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Sporting CP, Porto, Napoli, RB Leipzig, AEK Athens and Lens.

THE 10 HARDEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAWS

1. Sabah, 92.2
2. Lens, 92.1
3. Slavia Prague, 92.0
4. Atlético Madrid, 92.0
5. Club Brugge, 91.7
6. Manchester City, 91.7
7. Napoli, 91.4
8. Lille, 91.3
9. Bodø/Glimt, 91.2
10. Real Betis, 91.2

Aston Villa also received a rating of 91.2 but placed outside the top 10 in Opta’s ordered list.

Each of the 36 clubs will play eight league-phase matches against eight different opponents.

The top eight clubs will qualify directly for the round of 16. Teams finishing from ninth to 24th will enter the knockout play-offs.

Opta’s figures measure the strength of the opponents. They do not guarantee how any team will perform.