Why Arsenal are ‘banned’ from playing Inter Milan at San Siro in the Champions League

The Gunners have already visited the San Siro to face Inter Milan in the League Phase of each of the previous two Champions League campaigns.

During the 2024/25 season, Inter secured a 1-0 victory over Arsenal, with Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s first-half penalty proving decisive.

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Arsenal responded last season by claiming revenge in Milan, recording a 3-1 victory. Gabriel Jesus scored twice, while Viktor Gyokeres also found the net as the English side secured an impressive win.

However, UEFA has implemented a fresh rule for the 2026/27 campaign that prevents the two clubs from meeting in Italy again during the League Phase.

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UEFA’s website states: “The UEFA Club Competitions Committee has determined an additional condition that may be applicable to the UEFA Champions League draw for the 2026/27 season, deciding that any individual fixture between the same two teams may not be repeated in the same competition with the same home team for three consecutive seasons.

“This means that if any teams that already played against each other in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in the 2024/25 season are again drawn against each other, with the same home team, in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in this 2025/26 season, those teams will not be able to be drawn against each other with the same home team in the 2026/27 season.”

The two sides can still be drawn against each other at the Emirates, while there is also no restriction preventing them from meeting during the knockout stages.

Arsenal are not the only club impacted by the new regulation. Liverpool will also be prevented from hosting Real Madrid after the two teams met at Anfield in both the 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns.

The Champions League’s Matchday 1 is scheduled to take place between September 8 and 10. Arsenal’s next fixture, meanwhile, comes on Monday, August 31, when they travel to the Midlands for a Premier League clash against Aston Villa.