Has Arsenal Lost in the Champions League This Season? Full Results, Records and the Final Heartbreak Explained

By CM NEWS Football Desk | June 8, 2026

Arsenal came closer to European glory than at any point in their 140-year history during the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League — but ultimately fell agonisingly short. The Gunners reached the final for the first time in the club's history, only to lose to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on May 30, 2026. So did Arsenal lose in the Champions League this season? Yes — but only once in 90 minutes across the entire campaign, and their journey to the final was nothing short of extraordinary.

Here is a complete breakdown of every result, every loss, and everything that happened to Arsenal in the 2025–26 Champions League.

Quick Answer: How Many Times Did Arsenal Lose in the Champions League This Season?

Arsenal lost just two matches in the entire 2025–26 Champions League campaign in normal play — both during the league phase — before ultimately losing the final on penalties. They were not knocked out in normal time or extra time at any stage of the knockout rounds until the very last match.

Arsenal's Champions League 2025–26: League Phase Results

The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League operated under the expanded 36-team league phase format, where every club played eight matches against different opponents.

Arsenal's league phase record was outstanding. Key results during the league phase included a 2–0 win over Olympiacos (October 1), a 4–0 thrashing of Atlético Madrid (October 21), a 3–0 away win at Slavia Prague (November 4), and a highly impressive 3–1 home victory over Bayern Munich (November 26). [Tribuna.com]

However, Arsenal suffered their first Champions League defeat of the season on September 16, losing 0–2 at home in their opening game, and then suffered a second league phase defeat on December 10, losing 0–3 away at Club Brugge. [ESPN]

Despite those two defeats, Arsenal comfortably qualified for the knockout rounds and entered the last-16 as one of the competition's strongest sides.

League Phase Summary:

- Matches played: 8

- Wins: 6

- Draws: 0

- Losses: 2

- Goals scored: Multiple (including 4–0 vs Atlético, 3–1 vs Bayern, 3–0 vs Slavia Prague)

The Knockout Rounds: Arsenal's Unbeaten Run to the Final

Once the knockout phase began in February 2026, Arsenal were imperious — advancing through three rounds without losing a single match in normal time.

Round of 16 vs Bayer Leverkusen

Arsenal beat Bayer Leverkusen 2–0 in the second leg on March 17, advancing 3–1 on aggregate [uefa] — a clinical, composed performance against one of the Bundesliga's most formidable sides.

Quarter-Finals vs Sporting CP

Arsenal won the first leg away at Sporting CP 1–0 on April 7 and progressed to the semi-finals after the second leg on April 15. [uefa] Mikel Arteta's side had now reached the final four of the Champions League — only the second time in the club's history.

Semi-Finals

Arsenal overcame their semi-final opponents to reach the final — a historic achievement for a club that had never previously appeared in the Champions League final.

The Final: Arsenal vs PSG — May 30, 2026, Budapest

The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League final, held at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary, pitted Arsenal against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the most significant match in the Gunners' history.

Kai Havertz broke the deadlock after just five minutes to put Arsenal in front, before Ousmane Dembélé's second-half penalty drew PSG level in Budapest. [Olympics]

Havertz, who has form on the big stage — having fired Chelsea to Champions League glory against Manchester City five years earlier — took three decisive touches with his left foot before unleashing his fourth into the roof of the net. PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov remained rooted to his spot as the thunderbolt flew past him in a flash. [ESPN]

The match went to extra time, with neither side able to find a winner. Then came the heartbreak.

Eberechi Eze and Gabriel both missed from the spot as PSG recorded a 4–3 shootout victory to retain their title. PSG won the coin toss with the shootout taking place in front of their supporters. Eze dragged his spot-kick wide before goalkeeper David Raya provided Arsenal with a lifeline by saving from Nuno Mendes. With the shootout in the balance at 3–3, Lucas Beraldo sent Raya the wrong way before Gabriel blazed over — and Arsenal's dreams of following up their Premier League title with a first Champions League triumph came to a crushing end. [ESPN]

Arsenal's bid to win the Champions League for the first time in their 140-year history ended in heartbreak after the penalty shootout defeat. [ESPN]

Full Arsenal Champions League 2025–26 Record

| Round | Result |

|---|---|

| League Phase (8 games) | W6 L2 |

| Round of 16 vs Leverkusen | Won (3–1 agg) |

| Quarter-Final vs Sporting CP | Won |

| Semi-Final | Won |

| Final vs PSG | Drew 1–1, Lost 4–3 on pens |

Overall: Played 13 | Won 9 | Drew 1 | Lost 2 (league phase only) | Final: lost on penalties

Why This Season Was Still Historic for Arsenal

Despite the final defeat, Arsenal's 2025–26 Champions League run was the greatest in the club's history by a significant margin.

Arsenal had reached the semi-finals of the 2024–25 Champions League, losing to eventual champions PSG 3–1 on aggregate — leading manager Mikel Arteta to controversially declare his side had been the best team in the competition that year. [aol] He spent the summer investing heavily to go one better: signing Viktor Gyökeres, Martín Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze in a major transfer spree. [Sports Illustrated]

The investment paid dividends. Arsenal went all the way to the final in 2025–26, won the Premier League title in the same season — their fourth top-flight title — and produced performances across Europe that established them as genuine continental contenders.

The only question left unanswered is the one that has followed Arsenal for 140 years: when will they finally win the Champions League?

What Happens Next for Arsenal?

The Gunners will return to the Champions League in 2026–27 as Premier League champions, now viewed as one of the genuine favourites to win Europe's biggest prize. The painful memory of Budapest will serve as motivation for Arteta and his squad as they look to go one final step further next season.

The squad remains largely intact, and with the World Cup 2026 arriving this summer, several Arsenal players will have the opportunity to rest, recover, and return hungry for another European assault.

Conclusion

To directly answer the question: yes, Arsenal did lose in the Champions League this season — twice in the league phase (September and December 2025) and then in the final on penalties on May 30, 2026. But the broader story is one of remarkable achievement. Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time in their history, beat world-class opposition including Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, and Sporting CP along the way, and pushed PSG — the best side in Europe — all the way to a penalty shootout before heartbreak struck in Budapest.

For Arsenal fans, the question is no longer whether their club can compete at the very highest level in Europe. The question now is simply: how soon before they lift the trophy?

Stay with CM NEWS for the latest Arsenal news, Champions League updates, and coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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