Women's Champions League Matchday 1: Juventus vs Benfica facts
Friday, September 18, 2026
Article summary
Previous meetings, club facts and key stats ahead of the UEFA Women's Champions League Matchday 1 game.
Article top media content
Article body
For the second season running, Juventus face Benfica in Turin on Matchday 1 of the UEFA Women's Champions League to kick off their league phase campaigns.
Last match
In this fixture last season, the only previous meeting between the teams, Juventus began the league phase with a 2-1 victory, Cecilia Salvai scoring twice (22 86) after Lucia Alves (6) had given Benfica an early lead.
Juventus have won their two encounters with Portuguese opposition, both in Italy, the most recent a 2-1 triumph against SCU Torreense in this season's second qualifying round.
This is Benfica's second fixture against an Italian club after last season's Matchday 1 defeat at the Juventus Stadium.
This is the Italian side's ninth successive season in European competition since their debut in 2018/19. A run to the quarter-finals in 2021/22, when they lost 3-4 on aggregate to eventual champions OL Lyonnes, is their best showing to date. Juve were eliminated 2-4 on aggregate by Wolfsburg in the knockout phase play-offs last season (2-2 a, 0-2 h), having finished eighth in the inaugural league phase with the record W3 D1 L2.
In qualifying for this season's league phase, Juve beat SCU Torreense (2-1) and Hammarby (3-1 aet) in the second qualifying round and then defeated St. Pölten 4-1 on aggregate in the third (3-0 a, 1-1 h).
Benfica made their Women's Champions League debut in 2020/21, 2026/27 marking their fifth group stage/league phase participation in the last six seasons. Their best result was reaching the quarter-finals in 2023/24 – the only team from Portugal to do so.
The Portuguese side finished 16th in last season's league phase on two points, drawing 1-1 at home against Twente and Paris Saint-Germain but losing their other four fixtures.
Key stats
Juventus have lost only two of their last seven Women's Champions League group stage/league phase matches (W4 D1).
The Italian side have won their Matchday 1 fixture in each of their four previous campaigns.
Juventus have scored 98 goals in the Women's Champions League.
Benfica are winless in their last seven European games (D2 L5), and their last nine matches at this stage (D5 L4).
The Portuguese champions are aiming to win the opening match of a Women's Champions League group stage/league phase campaign for the first time at the fifth attempt (D1 L3).