Football fans accustomed to watching UEFA Champions League matches on Tuesday and Wednesday nights are seeing an unusual addition to the calendar this week: six Champions League fixtures are being played on Thursday, September 10.
The Thursday schedule is not the result of a postponement or a one-off fixture clash. It is part of UEFA’s calendar design for the competition’s exclusive matchweek, a scheduling arrangement introduced alongside the revamped European club competition format.
The 2026/27 Champions League league phase began on Tuesday, September 8, and Matchday 1 is being played across three days, ending on Thursday. UEFA’s official fixture list confirms six matches for each of the three days.
Why is the Champions League being played on Thursday?
The answer goes back to the changes UEFA introduced for its men’s club competitions from the 2024/25 season.
The Champions League, Europa League and Conference League were reorganised around new league-phase formats. Each competition was also given an exclusive matchweek during the season.
During a normal European club week, Champions League matches are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, while Europa League and Conference League fixtures generally occupy Thursday.
During the Champions League’s exclusive week, however, UEFA allows the competition to use Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The other two UEFA club competitions are not scheduled during that week.
That is why Thursday football appears on the Champions League calendar this week.
Six Champions League matches on Thursday
The final six fixtures of Matchday 1 are scheduled for Thursday, September 10.
They are:
- Fenerbahçe vs Roma
- PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk
- Como vs RB Leipzig
- Bayern Munich vs Bodø/Glimt
- Manchester United vs Sabah
- Slavia Prague vs Lens
UEFA lists Fenerbahçe vs Roma and PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk for the earlier 18:45 CET slot, with the other matches scheduled for 21:00 CET.
For UAE viewers, the main 21:00 CET kick-offs correspond to midnight UAE time, while the two 18:45 CET fixtures start at 21:45 UAE time.
Manchester United’s unusual Champions League return
One of the most prominent Thursday fixtures is Manchester United’s meeting with Sabah at Old Trafford.
United’s opening Champions League match comes on an unusual Thursday date because Matchday 1 has been extended across three days. Sabah, meanwhile, are making their Champions League league-phase debut after progressing through the qualifying rounds.
The timing also creates a demanding domestic schedule for Manchester United. The club is due to face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, leaving a short recovery period between the European fixture and the derby.
Is Thursday Champions League football becoming permanent?
No.
UEFA’s format provides for the Champions League’s exclusive matchweek to use an additional day, but the normal calendar remains Tuesday and Wednesday for Champions League fixtures.
UEFA has described the three-day opening Matchday 1 as an extended matchday. Its official Fantasy Football guide confirms that this season’s opening round consists of six matches on Tuesday, six on Wednesday and six on Thursday.
The unusual Thursday schedule therefore should not be interpreted as a permanent move of Champions League football away from its traditional midweek pattern.
Why does UEFA use exclusive matchweeks?
The system is designed to give each of UEFA’s three major men’s club competitions an opportunity to operate without the other two competitions competing for the same European football audience.
In a standard week, Champions League matches take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by Europa League and Conference League fixtures on Thursday. During the Champions League exclusive week, the Champions League can use all three of those days.
The arrangement was established when UEFA introduced the new league-phase format and expanded each of the Champions League and Europa League league phases to 36 teams.
The same principle works in the other direction. The Europa League also receives an exclusive matchweek in which its fixtures can be played across Wednesday and Thursday, while the Conference League has its own exclusive week.
What happens after Matchday 1?
The Champions League returns to its more familiar scheduling pattern after the opening round.
UEFA’s 2026/27 fixture calendar shows Matchday 2 taking place on October 13 and 14, followed by further matchdays in October, November, December and January. The league phase concludes on January 27, 2027, when all 18 matches are scheduled simultaneously.
For fans, Thursday’s Champions League action is therefore best understood as a feature of the competition’s calendar rather than a new weekly tradition.
The six Thursday fixtures complete an opening matchday deliberately spread across three nights, giving UEFA’s flagship club competition an exclusive stage before European football’s other two major club tournaments take their turns.
Why are Champions League games being played on Thursday?
UEFA’s 2026/27 opening Champions League matchday is being played across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday because it is the competition’s exclusive matchweek. The Europa League and Conference League are not playing during this week.
Which Champions League games are being played on Thursday?
Fenerbahçe vs Roma, PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk, Como vs RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich vs Bodø/Glimt, Manchester United vs Sabah and Slavia Prague vs Lens are scheduled for Thursday, September 10.
Is Champions League football moving permanently to Thursdays?
No. Champions League matches normally remain scheduled for Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thursday is being used during the competition’s exclusive matchweek.
Why does UEFA have an exclusive Champions League week?
The exclusive week gives the Champions League a period without Europa League or Conference League fixtures, allowing UEFA’s three major club competitions to have separate calendar windows.
When did Thursday Champions League matches first appear?
Thursday Champions League fixtures were introduced with the new league-phase format in the 2024/25 season. UEFA’s first Matchday 1 under the new system was spread across three days.
When will Champions League matches return to the normal schedule?
After the three-day opening matchday, subsequent league-phase rounds return to the usual Tuesday/Wednesday pattern, subject to UEFA’s published schedule.
What are the Thursday Champions League fixtures in UAE time?
The two 18:45 CET matches are scheduled for 21:45 UAE time. The matches listed for 21:00 CET begin at midnight UAE time.
