The Champions League 2026/27 has officially kicked off, with a total of 36 teams making the cut for this season. Some of them are veterans in the league, expected to win based on their experience. Others have only started to show their skills, but their potential is already tweaking our analytics data.
A popular betting site will offer outright bets and odds for who will win the Champions League. The rest is up to you, because bettors also need to combine the stats with their own data. Each of the qualified teams has a shot at winning matches, but some are more likely to go all the way.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
Paris Saint-Germain is already off to a good start after winning 6-1 in the match against ŠK Slovan Bratislava. The team also has experience excelling in the UEFA Champions League, winning the 2025/26 season despite losing some of its best players. At this point, it has effectively established a position as one of the leading teams in Europe.
The most impressive point here is that PSG didn’t simply win by two or three points. They created one of the biggest winning margins to ever appear on Matchday 1. While they are expected to go against contenders such as Manchester City and Aston Villa, winning these matches will put them in a top-ranked position.
Barcelona
It may have been 11 years since Barcelona won their last Champions League, but given the recent events and changes in the team, they have a good shot at winning. Hansi Flick, for instance, has already dominated the past couple of seasons in La Liga, showing great promise. As long as the team keeps working on their midfield and defensive line as they are, they may have a shot at dethroning PSG.
There’s also a belief that signing Rodri to the team this year can be a game-changer, especially given his previous success with Manchester City. The biggest question is how the team will perform in the matches against RSG and Manchester, seeing that their opposition is relatively strong.
Arsenal
Most of the online hype is around teams such as Barcelona or PSG, but many rankings give Arsenal a 20.4% chance of winning the championship. Given that the team won 1-0 in an intense away match against Napoli, they’re likely to go far this season. Their manager, Mikel Arteta, is an asset to the team, building on the defensive and midfield capabilities of the players.
The challenge will be to win against Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Real Madrid in the upcoming months. Right now, the team achieves its success through collective and tactical unity, with players such as Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice performing in elite international circles.
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich started the season on a strong note, winning 5-0 in their match against Bodø/Glimt. The team created an impressive goal difference while breaking the ice and avoiding a difficult opening. Other contenders this season were not as lucky.
It’s difficult to say what Bayern’s route throughout the season will be, as they have some pretty strong contenders to face. Two of these teams are Arsenal and Atletico Madrid, which have already shifted the odds of how the events will go. The match against Arsenal will likely be the most intense, as both are expected to climb high in the European ranks.
Manchester City
Erling Haaland’s luscious hair may be gone, but his skill for scoring a goal remains as strong as ever. With more than 60 goals scored across 53+ internationals, he’s a force to be reckoned with. Ayyoub Bouaddi and Elliot Anderson are also on the team, so they have the prospects to win not just in the minor leagues, but across Europe as well.
With Manchester City set to go against Barcelona and PSG, their upcoming matches are expected to be quite intense. Even if they don’t make it to the end of the championship, there’s a good chance they’ll advance closer to the finals.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s stroll to the top started when they won 2-1 against Inter Milan. While the score difference was just one, this allowed them to avoid an early setback that could darken their record. Plenty of players within the team already have experience with the Champions League, something that could prove relevant as they advance through the knockouts.
Still, for the odds to truly shift in their favor, they’ll have to win against Roma and RB Leipzig in October, followed by Arsenal in December. The match against Arsenal could be particularly significant for them, as it can secure their position as top contenders before they enter the knockout stage.
Liverpool
Liverpool opened their season with a match against Atletico Madrid, which let them begin Matchday 1 with three points. This gave them a good start for the season, and their reputation for historical legacies points them in that direction as well. Players such as Dominic Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah arrived as great players in the team but evolved into field superstars.
The question is if they’ll perform in the fixtures against Villarreal, Manchester City, and Porto. They will also have to face Inter Milan in January, who are still strong contenders, despite their loss to Real Madrid in the opening match.
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund might go all the way, given that they already started the Champions League with a 3-2 victory against Villarreal. The team has shown superior performance in the past, especially given the technical training and the players’ knack for quick decision-making.
Their upcoming schedule will test how prepared they are to reach the top, especially in fixtures against Bodø/Glimt, Inter Milan, and Arsenal. The latter two will tell us if they get past the knockout or not.
The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League is going to be tight, with plenty of teams already showing significant ranking power. So far, PSG, Barcelona, and Arsenal show promise, but the rest are not to be underestimated. As we get closer to the end of the year, we will get more insight into the top contenders.