2026-27 Women’s Champions League preview: Is Barcelona’s era of dominance over?

A new season of the Women’s Champions League is around the corner as Europe’s best teams look to claim the biggest club trophy in the game. It’s time to get ready for what could be the most wide-open race for the top prize in a long time.

Defending champions Barcelona arrive with more questions than answers this time around, and the other favorites made some key moves to ensure they’re in the best position possible to take advantage of a much-changed and possibly vulnerable Barça.

Here is everything you need to know about the new Women’s Champions League season.

Who is the team to beat?

The answer to that question was emphatically Barcelona for the last half-decade as the Catalans dominated the competition, making six straight finals and winning four titles.

Alexia Putellas was the symbol of that dominance, but the club’s biggest legend has decided to move on. She was one of four key departures this summer along with defensive leader Mapi León, fullback Ona Battle and forward Salma Paralluelo.

Those four players all started in the last UWCL Final and were key contributors to Barça’s dominance. Given their exits, there are legitimate questions about Barcelona’s ability to stay on top. They still have top talent, a unique and beautiful style and a very good coach, but losing multiple players raises questions whether or not they can hold onto the throne.

If this really is the end of Barça’s unrivaled dominance, Lyon is ready to capitalize after strengthening once again in the summer, including the major signing of Paralluelo from Barça. The French side remains the all-time record winners despite recent Catalan dominance.

2025 winners Arsenal signed Batlle away from Barcelona and have a deep, complete squad capable of challenging for it all, too. Chelsea can never be counted out and once again arrive as one of the favorites. Manchester City also won a domestic double last season and feel like this is their year.

It’s as wide open a race as we’ve seen in a long time, even though Barcelona should still be seen as the default favorites given how good the squad still is and how much respect they’ve earned with recent success.

Players to Watch

Aitana Bonmatí, Barcelona: After missing much of last season with a broken ankle, the three-time Ballon d’Or winner is ready to reclaim her title as the world’s best player. Bonmatí is also Barça’s biggest hope to offset the absence of Putellas this season. Bonmatí is the most complete midfielder in the game and will be carefully managed early in the season to ensure she’s at her best in the latter stages, but her return to full fitness is the X-factor in Barça’s title defense.

Salma Paralluelo, Lyon: Paralluelo felt like the future of Barcelona, but decided to accept a big offer to join Lyon in what was a real coup for the record champions. Stealing Barcelona’s most exciting and dangerous wide talent is a real coup when it comes to the race for the European trophy. Paralluelo is on her way to becoming a superstar and could easily be the top scorer in the competition this season.

Khadija Shaw, Manchester City: Another strong bet for top scorer in the tournament is the reigning three-time WSL Golden Boot winner. “Bunny” Shaw signed a rich new contract this summer and is in her absolute prime. If City make a deep run this season, her goals will be a big reason why.

Alessia Russo, Arsenal: It’s hard to pick just one Arsenal player given the depth of talent, but Russo remains their best and most complete forward with an amazing ability to read the game and create goals for herself and her teammates. Arsenal always finds a way to make a deep run in Europe with Russo spearheading the attack.

Claudia Pina, Barcelona: Even though Bonmatí is the superstar and Ewa Pajor is the best striker in the game, Claudia Pina is set for a breakthrough season that could very easily put her at the very top of the list of the world’s best players. She spent the last couple of years as the brilliant young understudy to Putellas—now she has to be ready to flourish and become a true superstar with an increased role in midfield and attack.

Key Dates

Who will win the 2026-27 Women’s Champions League?

Despite their key departures in the summer, it’s hard not to see Barcelona still as the best team in Europe and it’s even harder not to see them return to the final for the seventh straight year. They are still too talented, too well-coached and are too hard to play against given how unique their style is.

But if there is one team that is truly capable of overcoming the Barça hurdle, it’s Lyon. They remain the most dominant force in France and the addition of Paralluelo is a true game changer. A third final in four years between Barça and Lyon feels inevitable and the record champions have what it takes to finally dethrone the most dominant team of this era.