EXPLAINED: Why can’t Liverpool be drawn at home to Real Madrid in UEFA Champions League 2026-27 league phase?
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Liverpool have faced Real Madrid twice in the last two editions.
The draw for the UEFA Champions League 2026-27 league phase will take place in Monaco on Thursday, August 27. Teams around Europe will be waiting to see their fixture list. Most importantly, who their opponents will be in the top-tier continental competition.
However, due to newly introduced rules by UEFA, certain fixtures are off the table even before the draw takes place. One of those possibilities taken off is Liverpool being drawn at home to Real Madrid. It will not be allowed by the European governing body.
This is because of a specific draw condition introduced by UEFA to prevent the same fixture from being repeated with the same home team for three consecutive seasons. Under paragraph 16.03 of the Champions League regulations, UEFA can introduce “alternative conditions” to “avoid deadlock situations.”
“The UEFA Club Competitions Committee has determined… 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,” the rule said.
“This means that if any teams that already played against each other in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in the 2024/25 season are again drawn against each other, with the same home team, in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in this 2025/26 season, those teams will not be able to be drawn against each other with the same home team in the 2026/27 season.”
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The Reds are unbeaten against Los Blancos in the last two editions
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The Reds have already hosted Los Blancos at Anfield in the league phase of the competition in the past two editions. As a result, the organisers have ensured that this particular fixture cannot be played at Liverpool’s home ground.
However, there is no ruling preventing a Liverpool vs Real Madrid clash taking place at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, should the two clubs be drawn against each other on Thursday.
Liverpool hosted Real Madrid at Anfield in the last two editions. The Reds won both matches against the 15-time UCL champions. The Merseyside club won 2-0 in 2024-25, with Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo scoring for the hosts.
Mac Allister scored the winner in a 1-0 win for the Reds last season.
Why can’t Liverpool be drawn at home to Real Madrid in the UCL 2026-27 league phase?
UEFA regulations prevent the same fixture from being played at the same venue for three consecutive seasons. Since Liverpool hosted Real Madrid at Anfield in both 2024‑25 and 2025‑26, they cannot be drawn to face Los Blancos at home again in 2026‑27.
How have Liverpool fared against Real Madrid recently?
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last two home meetings, winning 2‑0 in 2024‑25 and 1‑0 in 2025‑26, with Alexis Mac Allister scoring in both matches.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.