Liverpool will not be allowed to host Real Madrid at Anfield in the Champions League group stage next season due to a UEFA regulation.
Arne Slot’s squad go into Tuesday’s home group-phase match against Real Madrid having lost six of their last eight games in all competitions, although they regained some confidence with a 2–0 Premier League win over Aston Villa at the weekend.
In Europe this season, Liverpool have beaten Atletico Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt in two of their three group fixtures, but fell to Galatasaray on matchday two. Real Madrid, on the other hand, have won every match so far and sit top of the league-phase standings ahead of their trip to Anfield.
However, an obscure UEFA rule means this will be their final group-stage meeting at Anfield for at least the next two seasons.
Beginning with the 2026/27 draw, UEFA introduced a regulation that prevents the same club from hosting the same opponent in group-stage fixtures three years in a row. Because Liverpool hosted Real Madrid last season and are doing so again this season, they cannot be drawn to play Real at Anfield in the next campaign’s group stage.
If Liverpool and Real Madrid are paired again next year, the match would instead take place at the Santiago Bernabéu. In that scenario, one of Liverpool’s scheduled away fixtures would be switched to Anfield to preserve the balance of four home and four away games.
The rule only affects group-stage matches and does not prevent the clubs from meeting in the knockout rounds.
UEFA states:
“If two teams that faced each other in the league phase of the 2024/25 Champions League are drawn together again in 2025/26 with the same club hosting, they cannot be drawn together with the same host again in the 2026/27 season. They may, however, be drawn together with the venue reversed.”
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