Footy Fix: Champions League returns Tuesday across CBS Sports and Paramount+

The league phase of Europe's biggest competition starts Tuesday Sep 7, 2026 at 11:47 am ET • 5 min read The UEFA Champions League is finally back! Yes, this is the week we've been waiting for as Europe's premier tournament finally returns with the first matchday of the league phase. The first round of games will also feature some huge matchups such as Real Madrid vs. Inter, Napoli vs. Arsenal and Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid. Want to know more? I'm Francesco Porzio with the latest. 📺 Footy fixAll times U.S./EasternTuesday, Sept. 8🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: AEK Athens vs. LASK, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Borussia Dortmund vs. Villarreal, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Porto vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Lille vs. Real Betis, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid vs. Inter, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+Wednesday, Sept. 9🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Barcelona vs. Feyenoord, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Stuttgart vs. Viking, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Liverpool vs. Atlético Madrid, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Slovan Bratislava, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Sporting CP vs. Galatasaray, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Napoli vs. Arsenal, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+Thursday, Sept. 10🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Fenerbahçe vs. Roma, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: PSV Eindhoven vs. Shakhtar Donetsk, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Como vs. RB Leipzig, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Bayern Munich vs. Bodø/Glimt, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Manchester United vs. Sabah Masazir, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UEFA Champions League: Slavia Prague vs. Lens, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+ ⚽ The Forward Line🇪🇺 Champions League is back! Getty Images This is a special week of soccer as the UEFA Champions League will kick off their 2026-2027 campaign across Europe with some special matches that will feature in the opening matchday of the league phase. The season starts Tuesday and will run until June 5, 2027, when the final will take place at the Metropolitano in Madrid. A handful of favorites to win the whole thing, like back-to-back champions Paris Saint-Germain and last season's finalists Arsenal, headline a group of teams that booked their spots in this season's competition months ago. Fellow heavyweights like Bayern Munich and Barcelona also make up the group, while Manchester United are back after two seasons away and Italian side Como are amongst the most notable newcomers to the competition. The opening matchday will feature some interesting games, such as the one between 2025-2026 finalists Arsenal and Napoli, Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid and the one between Real Madrid and Inter that will take place at the Bernabeu on Tuesday in Madrid. Once again, you can catch all the action exclusively on the CBS Sports family of networks and Paramount+, including Champions League Today with the Legendary Theirry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards alongside host Kate Scott. And don't miss the Golazo Show, your one-stop shop for every single big moment across all 18 games of action every matchweek, all season long.🏆 Full Days of Free Footy 🔗 Midfield Link Play🫂 A special reunion Getty Images Among the biggest storylines of the first week back in action, Real Madrid will host Inter at the Bernabeu, marking José Mourinho's second Champions League debut with the Spanish giants. More notably, it will be his first Champions League meeting with his former club, adding an intriguing layer to an already highly anticipated matchup, after he previously met his old club in Serie A action when Mourinho was the AS Roma manager from 2021 to 2024. The meeting is also special for another reason. Mourinho won the Champions League with Inter in 2010 before joining Real Madrid for the first time that summer and he won the 2-0 final against Bayern Munich, played at the Bernabeu, meaning the two will meet again for the first time in Europe and in the stadium where the Nerazzurri won their first Champions League in 45 years under the Portuguese coach. Inter manager Cristian Chivu was also on the pitch that night, starting at left-back for the Nerazzurri in their Champions League final against Bayern Munich on May 22, 2010. This will also mark the first time Mourinho faces Chivu since his former player went into management, adding another fascinating story to their reunion. 🔗 Top Stories✅ Lautaro Martinez finishes stunning Inter 3-2 comeback over Napoli with stoppage-time goal. 👋🏻 Gabriel Martinelli leaves Arsenal: Arsenal attacker moves to Al-Hilal in $81 million deal. 🔴 Arsenal came from behind to crush Chelsea as Martin Odegaard starred in the Premier League. ⚽ Who are the best players that Jose Mourinho has coached in his career?😎 No Pulisic, no problem: Which eight Americans are playing in this year's Champions League?💰 The Back Line💵 Best betsChampions League winners💰 THE PICK: Arsenal (+600) – After losing the 2025-2026 final on penalties against PSG, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal will give it another try, and they have a great chance to win the European trophy after last season's Premier League title. The Gunners have the ability and the potential to make it happen, and the Premier League win of the past season was a boost of confidence for Arteta and his team that this season will likely have less competition domestically and can focus more on the European games in the second part of the season. For more picks, predictions, expert tips, and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.⏰ Tomorrow...What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.): Join Golazo Network as it helps fans get their day started on the right foot on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.3️⃣ Attacking Third: The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. The NWSL season is in full swing and the WSL, and our coverage of the women's game is stronger than ever. Our analysts will be breaking down the USWNT, NWSL and European domestic season all year long.⚽ Call it What You Want: Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies, and Tony Meola cover all things USMNT and the state of the game in the United States. Catch new episodes live on the Golazo America YouTube channel. 🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.