UEFA Women’s Champions League 2025/26: Quarter-final preview, schedule and how to watch

The UEFA Women’s Champions League returns this month, as the quarter-final stage of the 2025/26 edition commences.

Eight sides remain in the hunt for Europe’s top football honour, including defending champions Arsenal and the competition’s most successful side OL Lyonnes.

This year's knockout stage will see rivalries reignited, debutants looking to shake up proceedings, and Champions League royalty aiming to reclaim the throne.

As the defining stage of this continental showpiece nears, read on for everything you need to know about the quarter-finals, including the remaining knockout stage schedule and ways to watch.

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25/26 UEFA Women’s Champions League: Quarter-final preview

Wolfsburg vs OL Lyonnes

A fixture that once defined this competition, Wolfsburg vs OL Lyonnes is always worth tuning in for. Since 2012/13, these teams have met four times in the final alone, locking horns on 11 occasions overall. For all the effort of the Germans, it is the French giants who dominate the head-to-head with eight wins. OL Lyonnes, whose squad is stacked with star power, are looking to reclaim the top spot with a record-extending ninth title, while Wolfsburg are eyeing their first since 2014.

Lyonnes cruised through to the last eight unbeaten with five wins in six. Wolfsburg had a far more difficult run of it, winning three and losing three to edge into a play-off spot, but were able to overcome Juventus 4-2 on aggregate for a place in the last eight.

Arsenal vs Chelsea

Arsenal's matchup with Chelsea will see the defending champions take on a club that desperately wants to win the one accolade that has continuously evaded them. Arsenal shocked many when they beat FC Barcelona 1-0 in the final last season, following what has been an otherwise underwhelming few seasons for them. Chelsea, meanwhile, have been a dominant force in England with few teams getting close to them. Yet for all their firepower, they are yet to unlock Europe’s top honour to complete their trophy haul. Everything is at stake for these two rivals in this finely poised encounter.

Chelsea were one of four teams to advance directly to the quarter-finals, doing so unbeaten with four wins and two draws. Arsenal missed out on automatic progression by a point, instead comfortably dispatching OH Leuven 7-1 on aggregate in the play-offs. This will be the first time these two sides have met in this competition.

Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona

For all the talk of the Women’s Clásico, this is a rivalry that hasn't quite packed the punch that others have. In 22 competitive matches across all competitions, Barça have won 21 of them, with Madrid edging a league encounter on one occasion. They met in the quarter-final of the Champions League in 2021/22, when the Catalan giants triumphed with a staggering 8-3 aggregate result.

Barcelona topped the new table format of the Champions League with five wins and one draw, while Real Madrid advanced to the last eight after beating Paris FC 5-2 on aggregate in the play-offs.

Manchester United vs Bayern Munich

Arguably the most fascinating tie of the four, Manchester United vs Bayern Munich is a quarter-final that could truly go either way. In terms of European pedigree, you would expect Bayern Munich to come into this match as the overwhelming favourites as they hunt down their first-ever Champions League title. Up against debutants Manchester United, for some observers, it seems like a favourable draw.

However, the English side have held their own well in their maiden European competition, finishing sixth in the league before cruising past Atletico Madrid 5-0 on aggregate to reach the quarter-final. They were subject to damning defeats against Wolfsburg and OL Lyonnes at the end of last year, but arrive at this stage in fine form. Bayern were one of the four sides who automatically advanced, after bouncing back well from a sensational 7-1 defeat to Barça on matchday one.

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