UEFA has blocked one Liverpool game in this season’s Champions League because of a little-known rule.
UEFA has decided that Liverpool can’t host Real Madrid at Anfield in one of the 2026/27 Champions League games because of a little-known rule.
The Champions League draw will happen in Monaco at 5pm on Thursday, with 32 of the 36 teams already qualified. Four more teams will be decided in play-off matches on Wednesday, including an exciting game between Lyon and Fenerbahce.
Liverpool, who have won Europe’s top club trophy six times, qualified by finishing fifth in the Premier League. In the new format, now in its third year, they’ll face eight different teams during the league phase.
But there’s one match that won’t happen: Liverpool can’t host Real Madrid again. Over the past two seasons, Liverpool played Real at home and won both times—2-0 in November 2024 and 1-0 a year later, thanks to Alexis Mac Allister’s goal.
UEFA’s rule says the same two teams can’t meet with the same home team for three seasons in a row. This is to keep the match-ups fresh and interesting. Liverpool could still play Real, but only at Real’s home stadium, the Santiago Bernabeu.
Liverpool shared this info on their official website, pointing to paragraph 16.03 of last season’s Champions League rules. These say UEFA can change draw conditions to avoid repeated fixtures or other problems.
In short, if two teams played each other at the same home ground for two seasons in a row, they can’t do that a third time. This rule also affects Arsenal—they can’t play Inter Milan at the San Siro this season.
So, while Liverpool won’t host Real Madrid again this time, fans can still look forward to some fresh and exciting matches in the tournament!