Barcelona begin their UEFA Women’s Champions League title defence as favourites, but Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Manchester City are among the clubs hoping to challenge Europe’s dominant force.
A new UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign is almost here, and Europe’s leading clubs are preparing for another battle for continental glory.
Barcelona enter the competition as defending champions after defeating OL Lyonnes 4-0 in last season’s final. However, a summer of significant squad changes has created fresh questions around their chances of retaining the trophy.
According to projections from the Opta supercomputer, Barcelona remain the team to beat, winning 41.2% of simulations. Bayern Munich follow with 17.3%, while Chelsea are the only other club given a double-digit chance of lifting the trophy, at 13.7%.
With the league phase beginning on Tuesday, here are some of the teams to watch.
Barcelona Remain The Team To Beat
Barcelona’s dominance in Europe has been difficult to ignore.
The Catalan side have appeared in every UEFA Women’s Champions League final this decade, winning the competition four times. They have also lost just three of their 38 matches in the competition since the beginning of 2023.
All three defeats came against English opposition, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea each recording victories over the Spanish giants.
However, Barcelona’s squad has changed significantly during the summer. Club legend Alexia Putellas has moved to the Barclays Women’s Super League, while Salma Paralluelo has joined Lyon.
Despite those departures, Barcelona still possess considerable attacking quality, including Ewa Pajor and Aitana Bonmati.
The challenge will be maintaining their European dominance while adapting to a new-look squad.
Bayern Munich Ready To Push Barcelona
Bayern Munich are viewed as Barcelona’s closest challenger by the Opta projections.
The German champions reached the semi-finals last season before losing to Barcelona, and they will face the holders again in the final match of the league phase.
Bayern suffered just two defeats in all competitions last season, both against Barcelona. Their 7-1 defeat in October was followed by a 4-2 loss in May, highlighting the gap they will hope to close.
The departure of Georgia Stanway to Arsenal is a notable change, but Bayern still have an impressive attacking group featuring Klara Buhl, Pernille Harder and Edna Imade.
Their performances against Europe’s strongest teams could determine whether they can progress beyond last season’s semi-final appearance.
Chelsea And Arsenal Lead The English Challenge
Chelsea have been given a 13.7% chance of winning the competition, while their 94% probability of reaching the quarter-finals is the second-highest in Opta’s projections.
A favourable league-phase draw and the lowest average fixture difficulty among the leading contenders could help Chelsea make a strong start.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have been handed a 7% chance of winning the trophy and a 17.8% chance of reaching the final.
The Gunners lifted the trophy in 2025 and will be hoping their attacking options can deliver another deep run. However, concerns over finishing remain after a goalless draw against Crystal Palace.
With Alessia Russo providing a key attacking threat, Arsenal will need greater consistency in front of goal as the competition progresses.
Manchester City Return To Europe
Manchester City return to the UEFA Women’s Champions League after missing last season’s competition.
The club won the Barclays Women’s Super League and FA Cup double last campaign, strengthening their squad during the summer in preparation for a return to European football.
Opta gives City a 9.1% chance of winning the trophy, while they have a 50.1% chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Khadija Shaw remains an important attacking figure, although squad depth could become a factor as the competition develops.
City have not reached the semi-finals since 2017-18, making their return one of the most intriguing storylines of the new campaign
Lyon And The Potential Dark Horses
OL Lyonnes are another club with realistic ambitions of lifting the trophy.
The French side are projected to have an 8.5% chance of winning the competition and could claim a record-extending ninth title.
Their summer business has included the arrivals of Salma Paralluelo and Caroline Weir, although the departure of Lindsey Heaps could create questions around their midfield balance.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid have a 49.6% chance of reaching the quarter-finals, while BK Häcken have emerged as an interesting outside contender, with a 47.2% probability of progressing that far.
Benfica and Juventus could also benefit from favourable draws, giving them an opportunity to compete with more established European names.
A New Chapter In The Women’s Champions League
The 2026-27 competition will feature an 18-team league phase, with each team playing six matches.
The top four sides will qualify directly for the quarter-finals, while teams finishing fifth to 12th will enter a knockout play-off for the remaining eight places.
That format means every match will carry importance, particularly for teams attempting to avoid the play-off round.
Barcelona may begin as favourites, but Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Lyon all have the quality to challenge.
With new signings, changing squads and a competitive league phase ahead, another fascinating European campaign is ready to begin.
