UEFA Women's Champions League: Meet the 18 league phase contenders

UEFA Women's Champions League holders Arsenal and former champions Barcelona, OL Lyonnes and Wolfsburg are among those taking part in the new-look 18-team league phase.

We introduce the contenders following Friday's draw. The fixture schedule will be confirmed on Saturday.

• Holders Arsenal are joined by fellow former champions Barcelona, OL and Wolfsburg.
• Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are former runners-up, while Bayern and Paris FC are past semi-finalists. Atleti, Benfica, Juventus, Real Madrid and Roma have made the last eight.
• Barcelona, Bayern, Chelsea, OL and Real Madrid took part in the former group stage in all four seasons after the round was introduced in 2021/22. Just as this season, Madrid made it through qualifying on four occasions.
• Atleti, Man United and OH Leuven are in the league phase or group stage for the first time.
• OHL are in their first European season and are the first team from Belgium to reach the league phase/group stage.
• Spain have three teams in the league phase/group stage for the first time. France previously had three in 2023/24 (the same three as this season) and England also had three last season. Germany are the other nation to manage the feat, in 2021/22.

All details correct as of start of league phase

Pot 1

Arsenal (ENG, holders)

Opponents
Pot 1: OL Lyonnes (h), Bayern München (a)
Pot 2: Real Madrid (h), Benfica (a)
Pot 3: Twente (h), OH Leuven (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 7 (in Pot 1 as defending champions)
How they qualified: Titleholders, English runners-up
Last season: Winners
Domestic honours: 15 x League champions, 14 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2006/07, 2024/25)

• On their way to a second title last season, Arsenal topped Bayern in the group stage (despite losing 5-2 away on Matchday 1), beat Madrid in the quarter-finals (overturning a 2-0 deficit from the first leg) and OL in the semis (overturning a 2-1 deficit in the away second leg). They played a record 15 games in their campaign last season (Katie McCabe starting every one), the first team to get to the final from qualifying round 1 (equivalent of the new second qualifying round).

Barcelona (ESP)

Opponents
Pot 1: Bayern München (h), Chelsea (a)
Pot 2: Benfica (h), Roma (a)
Pot 3: OH Leuven (h), Paris FC (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 1
How they qualified: Spanish champions
Last season: Runners-up
Domestic honours: 10 x League champions, 11 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2020/21, 2022/23, 2023/24)

• Last season Barça equalled OL's record of reaching five straight finals (the decider was their 100th European game) and set a new mark by making the semis for the seventh year in a row, their 44 goals only one short of Wolfsburg's record set in 2013/14. They have made the final six times in the last seven seasons, losing in 2019, 2022 and 2025. They have beaten Chelsea in the last three semis as well as the 2021 final.

OL Lyonnes (FRA)

Opponents
Pot 1: Wolfsburg (h), Arsenal (a)
Pot 2: St. Pölten (h), Juventus (a)
Pot 3: Atlético de Madrid (h), Manchester United (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 2
How they qualified: French champions
Last season: Semi-finals
Domestic honours: 18 x League champions, 10 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2010/11, 2011/12, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2021/22)

• Renamed from Olympique Lyonnais this season, they have reached an unmatched 11 finals in winning their record eight titles. Last season, when they beat Wolfsburg twice in the group stage but lost to Arsenal in the semis, they became the first club to pass 150 matches and 500 goals in UEFA women's club competition. They are now coached by Jonatan Giráldez, a two-time winner with Barcelona.

Chelsea (ENG)

Opponents
Pot 1: Barcelona (h), Wolfsburg (a)
Pot 2: Roma (h), St. Pölten (a)
Pot 3: Paris FC (h), Twente (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 3
How they qualified: English champions
Last season: Semi-finals
Domestic honours: 8 x League champions, 6 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Runners-up (2020/21)

• Their only three defeats last season (their first under Sonia Bompastor) came in the Champions League knockout phase (away to Manchester City and home and away against Barcelona), as they completed a domestic treble (they also won all six group games including twice against Twente). They have lost to Barcelona in the last three semi-finals while are facing Wolfsburg for the 11th time.

Bayern München (GER)

Opponents
Pot 1: Arsenal (h), Barcelona (a)
Pot 2: Juventus (h), Paris Saint-Germain (a)
Pot 3: Vålerenga (h), Atlético de Madrid (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 4
How they qualified: German champions
Last season: Quarter-finals
Domestic honours: 7 x League champions, 2 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Semi-finals (2018/19, 2020/21)

• Bayern completed their first domestic double last season and began their Champions League campaign with a 5-2 defeat of eventual winners Arsenal, though lost away. They also beat Vålerenga at home but drew away.

Wolfsburg (GER)

Opponents
Pot 1: Chelsea (h), OL Lyonnes (a)
Pot 2: Paris Saint-Germain (h), Real Madrid (a)
Pot 3: Manchester United (h), Vålerenga (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 5
How they qualified: German runners-up
Last season: Quarter-finals
Domestic honours: 7 x League champions, 11 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2012/13, 2013/14)

• Wolfsburg have reached 12 quarter-finals from 13 entries and last season got through the group stage with a game to spare despite losing their first two matches. They lost twice to OL in the group stage last season and are facing both them and Chelsea for the 11th time.

Pot 2

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

Opponents
Pot 1: Bayern München (h), Wolfsburg (a)
Pot 2: Real Madrid (h), Benfica (a)
Pot 3: OH Leuven (h), Manchester United (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 6
How they qualified: French runners-up
Last season: Qualifying round 2
Domestic honours: 1 x League champions, 4 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Runners-up (2014/15, 2016/17)

• Missed out on the group stage in 2024/25 after defeat by Juventus, ending a run of reaching at least the quarter-finals six years in a row and nine times in ten seasons.

Real Madrid (ESP)

Opponents
Pot 1: Wolfsburg (h), Arsenal (a)
Pot 2: Roma (h), Paris Saint-Germain (a)
Pot 3: Paris FC (h), Twente (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 8
How they qualified: Spanish runners-up; 5-1agg vs Eintracht Frankfurt (2-1a, 3-0h)
Last season: Quarter-finals
Domestic honours: Best league finish – 2nd place x 4
Previous European best: Quarter-finals (2021/22, 2024/25)

• Madrid are now contesting their fifth European campaign, having got through qualifying each time. They lost to Arsenal in last season's quarter-finals despite winning the home first leg 2-0 but beat Twente twice in the group stage.

Juventus (ITA)

Opponents
Pot 1: OL Lyonnes (h), Bayern München (a)
Pot 2: Benfica (h), St. Pölten (a)
Pot 3: Manchester United (h), Atlético de Madrid (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 9
How they qualified: Italian champions
Last season: Group stage
Domestic honours: 6 x League champions, 4 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Quarter-finals (2021/22)

• Won their third domestic double in eight seasons of existence in 2024/25 as well as beating Paris Saint-Germain to make the Champions League group stage for the third time.

Benfica (POR)

Opponents
Pot 1: Arsenal (h), Barcelona (a)
Pot 2: Paris Saint-Germain (h), Juventus (a)
Pot 3: Twente (h), Paris FC (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 11
How they qualified: Portuguese champions
Last season: Qualifying round 2
Domestic honours: 5 x League champions, 2 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Quarter-finals (2023/24)

• Missed out against Hammarby in qualifying last season, having in 2023/24 become the first Portuguese side to make the quarter-finals (drawing 4-4 at home to Barcelona in the group stage.

Roma (ITA)

Opponents
Pot 1: Barcelona (h), Chelsea (a)
Pot 2: St. Pölten (h), Real Madrid (a)
Pot 3: Vålerenga (h), OH Leuven (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 12
How they qualified: Italian third place; 2-0n vs Aktobe, 5-1a vs Sparta Praha, 3-2agg vs Sporting CP (1-2h, 2-0a)
Last season: Group stage
Domestic honours: 2 x League champions, 2 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Quarter-finals (2022/23)

• Thanks to their dramatic second-leg comeback at Sporting CP, Roma have now reached at least the group stage/league phase on all four European entries, only missing out on the quarter-finals last season on head-to-head record behind Wolfsburg. Lost their sole quarter-final to Barcelona in 2022/23.

St. Pölten (AUT)

Opponents
Pot 1: Chelsea (h), OL Lyonnes (a)
Pot 2: Juventus (h), Roma (a)
Pot 3: Atlético de Madrid (h), Vålerenga (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 14
How they qualified: Austrian champions, 5-2agg vs Fortuna Hjørring (3-1h, 2-1a)
Last season: Group stage
Domestic honours: 10 x League champions, 11 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Round of 16 (2020/21), Group stage (2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25)

• Have got through qualifying for the fourth year in a row, having won the Austrian Bundesliga in the last ten completed seasons. Lost twice to OL in the 2023/24 group stage.

Pot 3

Twente (NED)

Opponents
Pot 1: Chelsea (h), Arsenal (a)
Pot 2: Real Madrid (h), Benfica (a)
Pot 3: Atlético de Madrid (h), OH Leuven (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 20
How they qualified: Dutch champions; 6-0h vs Crvena Zvezda, 2-0h vs Breidablik, 8-1agg vs GKS Katowice (4-0a, 4-1h)
Last season: Group stage
Domestic honours: 10 x League champions, 3 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Group stage (2024/25); Round of 16 (2015/16, 2016/17, 2019/20)

• Having fallen in qualifying three years in a row before last season, have now got through twice in a row. Lost twice to both Chelsea and Real Madrid on their group stage debut last season

Vålerenga (NOR)

Opponents
Pot 1: Wolfsburg (h), Bayern München (a)
Pot 2: St. Pölten (h), Roma (a)
Pot 3: Paris FC (h), Manchester United (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 21
How they qualified: Norwegian champions; 1-0a vs HJK Helsinki, 4-0n vs Slavia Praha, 5-1agg vs Ferencváros (3-0h, 2-1a)
Last season: Group stage
Domestic honours: 2 x League champions, 3 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Group stage (2024/25)

• Made their group stage debut last season, securing a dramatic draw against Bayern (the only draw out of the 48 group games).

Paris FC (FRA)

Opponents
Pot 1: Barcelona (h), Chelsea (a)
Pot 2: Benfica (h), Real Madrid (a)
Pot 3: OH Leuven (h), Vålerenga (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 22
How they qualified: French third place; 2-0agg vs Austria Wien (0-0h, 2-0a)
Last season: Qualifying round 2
Domestic honours: 6 x League champions, 2 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Semi-finals (2012/13 as Juvisy)

• Changed from Juvisy to their present name in 2017 and qualified for the group stage in 2023/24 (twice beating Real Madrid) after in qualifying becoming the first team ever to knock out Wolfsburg before the quarter-finals. In that season's group stage, they lost twice to Chelsea but won both matches against Real Madrid.

Manchester United (ENG)

Opponents
Pot 1: OL Lyonnes (h), Wolfsburg (a)
Pot 2: Paris Saint-Germain (h), Juventus (a)
Pot 3: Vålerenga (h), Atlético de Madrid (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 24
How they qualified: English third place; 4-0n vs PSV Eindhoven, 1-0a vs Hammarby, 3-1agg vs Brann (0-1a, 3-0h)
Last season: Not in competition
Domestic honours: 1 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Qualifying round 2 (2023/24)

• Elisabeth Terland hit hat-tricks against PSV and her former club Brann to finish as qualifying top scorer on seven goals; United's only previous European campaign was in 2023/24, when they lost in qualifying round 2 to Paris Saint-Germain.

Atlético de Madrid (ESP)

Opponents
Pot 1: Bayern München (h), OL Lyonnes (a)
Pot 2: Juventus (h), St. Pölten (a)
Pot 3: Manchester United (h), Twente (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): 27
How they qualified: Spanish third place; 3-2agg vs Häcken (1-1a, 2-1h aet)
Last season: Qualifying round 1 group third place
Domestic honours: 4 x League champions, 2 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Quarter-finals (2019/20)

• A Luany penalty deep in added time ensured Atleti levelled their qualifier against Häcken before winning in extra time; although this is their group stage/league phase debut, the Madrid club reached the round of 16 or better three times in a row between 2018/19 and 2020/21.

OH Leuven (BEL)

Opponents
Pot 1: Arsenal (h), Barcelona (a)
Pot 2: Roma (h), Paris Saint-Germain (a)
Pot 3: Twente (h), Paris FC (a)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2024/25): no ranking
How they qualified: Belgium champions; 2-1aet h vs SFK 2000 Sarajevo, 3-2h vs Rosengård, 2-0agg vs Vorskla Poltava (2-0a, 0-0h)
Last season: Not in competition
Domestic honours: 1 x League champions
Previous European best: First season in European competition.

• Having claimed their first title last season in their tenth season after promotion to the Belgian Super League, OHL are the first team from their nation to reach the league phase/group stage and are the seventh to get this far on their European debut.

Cup winners refers only to main FA national cup in each country.
n = second qualifying round match hosted by club other than the two playing.