EXPLAINED: Why can't Arsenal be drawn away to Inter Milan in UEFA Champions League 2026-27 league phase?
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The Gunners were the runners-up last season in the competition.
In the 2026–2027 UEFA Champions League league phase, Arsenal will not be drawn to play Inter Milan away from home. This is due to a relatively recent UEFA rule that subtly modifies the draw process.
The Gunners were the runners-up last season. They lost to PSG in the final of the 2025-26 competition.
UEFA imposed a rule that prohibits a certain match from being repeated with the same host team if it has previously happened twice in a row.
To put it simply, Team A cannot host Team B in the same tournament for the 2026–2027 league phase if Team A hosted Team B in the league phase in 2024–2025 and again in 2025–2026.
Explained why Arsenal won’t play Inter away in the Champions League 2026-27 league phase
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The UEFA Club Competitions Committee dictates that “any individual fixture between the same two teams may not be repeated in the same competition with the same home team for three consecutive seasons.”
In the past two seasons, Arsenal and Inter Milan have faced off twice at San Siro. In the league phase of the 2024-25 season, the Gunners were defeated 1-0 at Inter Milan’s stadium; nevertheless, in January of the 2025-26 season, they triumphed 3-1 there.
Since San Siro hosted two league phase games against the Gunners in a row, the rule will now take effect in 2026–2027. In the league phase, the two teams can still be drawn, but only if Arsenal are the home team. Another possibility is they could face off later in the knockout stages, when venue limitations of this nature are not applicable.
Why can’t Arsenal face Inter Milan away from home in the Champions League 2026-27 league phase?
Because the Gunners have faced Inter twice in a row, away from home in the competition’s league phase.
Where did Arsenal finish last season in the Champions League?
They lost the final to PSG on penalties last season.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.