Arsenal handed Leuven rematch in Women´s Champions League with Chelsea tie at stake

Arsenal will face a quick reunion with Leuven in the Women’s Champions League play-offs, with a mammoth London derby against Chelsea awaiting them if they win that tie.

The Gunners missed out on a top-four finish in the league stage despite earning a routine 3-0 victory in Belgium on Wednesday, due to Bayern Munich beating Valerenga by the same scoreline.

Having finished fifth of 18 teams, the holders earned a seeded place in the two-legged play-offs, and in Thursday’s draw, they were paired with Leuven.

Manchester United will also face a team they have already beaten this season, in the guise of Atletico Madrid. Wolfsburg will take on Juventus, with Paris FC paired with Real Madrid.

The quarter-finals could feature a huge all-Women’s Super League meeting between Arsenal and Chelsea, after the Blues clinched automatic qualification on Wednesday.

United will face Bayern if they overcome Atletico, while there could also be a matchup of Clasico rivals Barcelona and Madrid, should Los Blancos win their play-off tie.

The winner of Wolfsburg versus Juventus, meanwhile, will meet Lyon.

The road to Oslo 2026

Who is going all the way to the final? #UWCL || #UWCLdraw pic.twitter.com/tj5xJkdc0t

— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) December 18, 2025

Around 1,000 Arsenal fans travelled to Leuven for the Gunners’ league-stage finale, with a record crowd of 9,825 present at Den Dreef Stadium.

Arsenal boss Renee Slegers said of those figures: “Yeah, it was a special night. So two records. It was us, the champions of Europe, playing against a team making their debut.

“And I think the way they have been performing, it’s really impressive. It says everything about how the game is growing.

“A team from Belgium is doing this and they’re also through to the knockout phase. So I think it’s a special moment, a big moment for women’s football.

“But of course, it was about the football and I’m happy we took the three points. Now it’s about recovery, getting back to London and prepare for the last one, and we look forward to getting started in the League Cup as well.”

Arsenal visit Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals of the Women’s League Cup on Sunday in their final game of 2025, with a WSL match against Manchester United following on January 10.