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Athletic Club vs Arsenal preview: Prediction, date, kick-off times, venue, how to watch Champions League match on DAZN
The Champions League returns for the 2025-26 season, and you can see all the action live in selected countries on DAZN.
The competition once again begins with the new league phase after it was introduced last season, and matchday one sees some huge games across three nights, including Arsenal's opener against Spanish side Athletic Bilbao.
The Gunners were among the top sides in last year's league phase, finishing with 19 points off six wins, one draw, and one loss. That was good enough for third place, which they parlayed into a run to the semi-finals before succumbing to eventual champions PSG.
Now the Premier League side looks to go at least one step further in their quest for silverware under Mikel Arteta, which has been hard to come by despite their consistent performances both domestically and in Europe.
Meanwhile, Athletic will take part in the league phase for the first time since its implementation last year. The La Liga outfit has had to wait 10 years to return to the Champions League, and their first test is a massive one at home against the London side.
DAZN News has all the information ahead of Athletic Club vs Arsenal
@viktorgyokeres
Athletic Club vs Arsenal kick-off date
Athletic Club vs Arsenal will take place at 5:45 pm BST on Tuesday, September 16, in the Champions League
That means that fans watching in the US and Canada can see the game at 12:45 pm ET and 9:45 am PT, while it's a 4:45 am kick-off on Wednesday, Sept 17, for fans in New Zealand.
- Date: Tuesday, September 16
- Kick-off: 12:45 pm ET / 9:45 am PT / 4:45 am NZST (Wednesday)
Where is Athletic Club vs Arsenal being played?
Athletic Club vs Arsenal will take place at San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain.
The stadium opened in 2013 and holds 53,331 fans.
Athletic Club vs Arsenal - the key men
Nico Williams - Athletic Club
A key figure in Athletic's attack, the 23-year-old will look to unsettle Arsenal's stodgy defence with piercing runs down the left flank.
Williams can cause havoc with the ball at his feet, which the hosts will be counting on in their first Champions League match in a decade.
@AthleticClub
Declan Rice - Arsenal
The Gunners' midfielder was unplayable at times during last year's Champions League, and his team will be relying on him to once again bring that form into the continental competition.
Rice is instrumental to the way Arsenal play the game, and he's at his best when he's influencing the match from the middle of the park.
Athletic Club vs Arsenal prediction
A tough test out of the gates for both sides, but Arsenal's experience on this stage and willingness to grind out a result could be the difference.
Prediction: Athletic Club 1-2 Arsenal
Full Champions League fixture list for Matchday 1
Tuesday 16 September
- Athletic Bilbao vs Arsenal
- PSV vs Union Saint-Gilloise
- Benfica vs Qarabag FK
- Juventus vs Borussia Dortmund
- Real Madrid vs Marseille
- Tottenham vs Villarreal
Wednesday 17 September
- Olympiacos vs AE Pafos
- Slavia Prague vs Bodo/Glimt
- Ajax vs Inter
- Bayern Munich vs Chelsea
- Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid
- PSG vs Atalanta
Thursday, 18 September
- Club Brugge vs Monaco
- Copenhagen vs Bayer Leverkusen
- Frankfurt vs Galatasaray
- Manchester City vs Napoli
- Newcastle vs Barcelona
- Sporting vs Kairat Almaty
How to watch the Champions League in the USA on DAZN
Soccer fans in the US can watch selected Champions League as part of their DAZN subscription package, in Spanish language.
For each match week, DAZN will have exclusive coverage of the top three pick games, including the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool, and PSG, in Spanish. Click here to see which games are available on DAZN.
Sign up between September 11-September 19, 2025, to get an Annual Subscription for $179.99 (down from $224.99) as a one-off up-front cost; or $15.99 per month for 12 months, (reduced from $19.99 per month)*.
A DAZN subscription also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
CBS has coverage of every Champions League match in English language this season. You can get more details and subscribe to CBS's Champions League coverage here.
*New customers only
How to watch the Champions League in New Zealand on DAZN
Every Champions League game during the 2025-26 season is streamed in high-definition and comes as part of a DAZN subscription.
New customers can get a special 20% discount for a subscription. Sign up between September 11-September 19, 2025, to get an Annual Subscription for $119.99 (down from $149.99) as a one-off up-front cost; or $11.99 per month for 12 months, (reduced from $14.99)*.
A DAZN subscription also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
How to watch the Champions League in Canada on DAZN
Watch every game of the Champions League this season in Canada with a DAZN subscription.
There are three subscription options, offering differing selections of sports in each. Access to every Champions League match is included in all three package offerings, ranging from $29.99 to $44.99 per month (for 12 months)
