Champions League: 18 matches will pay tribute to the victims of the floods in Nepal

The 2026-2027 Champions League opens with a tribute to the victims of the floods in Nepal: a minute of silence and a solidarity banner will precede the 18 scheduled matches from September 8 to 10.

European football will mark the start of the Champions League group stage with a tribute to Nepal. Before each of the 18 matches scheduled for Tuesday, September 8, Wednesday, September 9, and Thursday, September 10, a minute of silence will be observed in memory of the victims of the sudden floods that struck the country on August 26.

A banner bearing the message “You are not alone Nepal” will also be displayed before the matches. UEFA presented this initiative as a gesture of solidarity with the affected families and the communities involved in relief and reconstruction efforts.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin stated that the European football family wishes to express its condolences and support to the people of Nepal, while wishing them strength and resilience in the face of the disaster’s aftermath.

This first week of the competition includes six matches per day. The schedule begins on Tuesday with notably Real Madrid-Inter, Porto-Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund-Villarreal, followed by Liverpool-Atlético de Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain-Slovan Bratislava, and Napoli-Arsenal on Wednesday. On Thursday, Manchester United-Sabah, Bayern Munich-Bodø/Glimt, and Fenerbahçe-Roma are among the featured matches.

The tribute comes less than two weeks after the devastating floods of August 26 in the Himalayas, which caused a heavy human toll in Nepal and neighboring areas. Search and relief operations continue in several affected sectors.

The 2026-2027 league phase is scheduled to continue until January 27, 2027. The initiative announced for the opening week thus combines the resumption of sports with a message of international support for the disaster-affected populations of Nepal.