The longest Champions League away days in the 2026-27 season ranked

The 2026-27 Champions League campaign is finally upon us, and fans throughout Europe are buzzing with excitement as the best of the best from across the continent are set to do battle.

Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain will be eyeing a third consecutive title, while the five Premier League entrants – Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool – are vying for glory of their own.

One of the best aspects of the a new season for many supporters is the chance to visit other European cities as their club travels for away clashes, watching games in-person at any of the Champions League's host venues.

This term's league phase will see fans make trips to the home grounds of a number of competition debutants, including Sabah, who are set to welcome Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Slavia Prague to Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.

Here, Football Ground Guide ranks the top five longest Champions League away days in the 2026-27 league phase.

5. Baku → Stavanger | Viking vs. Sabah | SR-Bank Arena | Nov 4, 2026 | 3,689km

Sabah fans have an extensive journey ahead of them when they travel to watch their team face Viking FK in Stavanger, Norway, tallying up to 3,689km overall.

As is the case for Dortmund, no direct commercial service runs between Baku and Stavanger, so supporters of the Azerbaijani side will need to catch a connecting flight.

The most practical route is to head to Frankfurt, Germany, before going on to Stavanger, a trip that takes around 12 hours – though that figure could rise significantly depending on the airline and departure times chosen. Alternatively, fans can be routed through Istanbul.

After landing at Stavanger Airport Sola, the SR-Bank Arena sits just 11km away, and a short taxi ride to the stadium will take around 10 minutes, while both trains and buses are available in the vicinity, the latter taking roughly 29 minutes.

4. Baku → London | Arsenal vs. Sabah | Emirates Stadium | Jan 27, 2027 | 3,980km

For their final league-phase outing, Champions League debutants Sabah will lock horns with 2025-26 finalists Arsenal at the Emirates in January.

The journey from Baku to London spans 3,980km in total, though supporters thankfully have a number of direct flights to choose from via Azerbaijan Airlines, including services to Heathrow on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and to Gatwick on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

For visitors to the city, the Emirates Stadium is more easily accessed from Heathrow, thanks to the Piccadilly Line that has the airport and Arsenal as stations.

After spending around an hour on the Tube after a six-hour flight, Sabah fans might want to check out some of the best pubs nearby, or grab a bite to eat close to the Gunners' home ground.

3. Barcelona → Baku | Sabah vs. Barcelona | Baku Olympic Stadium | Nov 25, 2026 | 3,981km

Barcelona are amongst the favourites to win UEFA's premier club competition this season, but their determination will certainly be put to the test with one of the longest Champions League away days of the campaign.

Hansi Flick's side are set to face Sabah at the Baku Olympic Stadium in late November, a showdown that will be circled on the calendars of everybody involved with the Azerbaijani club.

Barca should have more than enough to take all three points from the clash – especially with Ballon d'Or winner Rodri in tow – but it remains to be seen how the travelling faithful fare after a 3,981km journey, and more than five hours on a plane.

2. Baku → Manchester | Manchester United vs. Sabah | Old Trafford | Sep 10, 2026 | 4,108km

Man United may not be at the peak of their powers, but they are still a gargantuan opponent, and Sabah will be raring to go in their clash on the first of their four Champions League away days.

The Red Devils are hosting the Owls at Old Trafford on Thursday, kicking off their league phase against a team that will have travelled over 4,100km to reach the stadium.

A common problem for Sabah supporters, there are no direct routes from Heydar Aliyev International Airport to Manchester, meaning that a necessary connecting flight to Istanbul will add significantly to the overall journey time – taking it beyond the 12-hour mark with just seven hours of flying.

A trip that long will have fans looking for somewhere to eat near Old Trafford, as well as tracking down the best pubs near the ground.

1. Baku → Villarreal | Villarreal vs. Sabah | Estadio de la Ceramica | Dec 8, 2026 | 4,175km

To everyone's surprise, Sabah are set for the longest Champions League away day this season, when they travel to face Villarreal at Estadio de la Ceramica in December.

Fans of the Baku-based club will need to catch a flight to Valencia Airport, before making their way to Villarreal – which sits roughly 65km to the north – separately, due to Castellon Airport's limited commercial throughput.

Sabah supporters will also be used to there being no direct flights between Baku and their destination, though there are plenty of connecting routes, including via Istanbul, Frankfurt and Rome Fiumicino.

That being said, the 4,175km journey will be made to take exceedingly long, with layovers causing the flight-leg to take more than 13 hours in total.

Honourable mention: 6. Dortmund → Baku | Sabah vs. Borussia Dortmund | Baku Olympic Stadium | Oct 20, 2026 | 3,449km

Dortmund fans are renowned as some of the most passionate in Europe, and they will need to endure almost five hours of flying to reach Baku, Azerbaijan next month.

Clocking in at 3,449km, this away day to watch BVB face Sabah will see supporters cross Central and Eastern Europe, heading to the South Caucasus, bound for Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD).

However, there are no direct commercial flights between Dortmund and Baku, so a connection through Frankfurt or Brussels is set to add to the air miles. After hopping off the plane, Baku Olympic Stadium sits around 15km from the airport.