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FC Bayern’s 2026/27 Champions League campaign kicks off with the home match against FK Bodø/Glimt on Thursday night (live text and free Web Radio commentary from 21:00 CEST on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app). As they always have done in recent years, the men from Munich are aiming to get off to a winning start in the competition once again. Since 2003, FCB have won all 22 of their opening games in Europe’s premier club competition. Our preview has all the info you need on the match.
Final training, press conference & more – catch up on Bayern’s day before the meeting with Bodø/Glimt:
Latest news from Bayern
After a strong start to the season with three wins from the first three competitive matches, Bayern hit their first stumbling block of the campaign on Saturday. Despite clear dominance with 83% possession and the far better chances, the German record champions could only manage a 0-0 draw at promoted side FC Schalke 04. A minor setback, but not one that is causing the team great concern. “We’re talking about a goalless draw against Schalke, but I’m struggling to remember a match before that when we didn’t score. I hope it was a one-off,” said captain Manuel Neuer in Wednesday’s press conference.
Indeed, it was the first time since July 2025 that Bayern failed to find the net in a competitive fixture. Now they’re looking to quickly rediscover their eye for goal in the opening European match of the season. “Intensity will be a factor. If we go at the right tempo and can tire the opponents out, we'll get chances to exploit weaknesses,” added Neuer.
The facts:
Having narrowly missed out on the final last season with a 6-5 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals, the league phase should again just be a stop on the journey for the Bavarians. There’s a long way to go, though, as Vincent Kompany emphasised – and it starts with the home meeting against the Norwegian runners-up on Thursday night. “I think it's always good to clearly state goals, but for now we’re preparing for Bodø/Glimt and we’ve seen that it won’t be easy,” explained the head coach. Focusing fully on getting off to a successful start in the competition is the priority for Kompany and his side. “The best route to success is if we win on Thursday against Bodø/Glimt. We want to put everything into that,” stressed the Belgian.
Former Bayern player Jan Einar Aas on the rise of Norwegian football:
Opponents: Bodø/Glimt
Located north of the Arctic Circle, trips to the more southerly parts of Europe are not just a logistical challenge for the team from the municipality of Bodø in Nordland County. Compared to the artificial turf at their home ground, the Norwegians also have to adapt to a different surface every time. They therefore used the break following their last competitive match at Fredrikstad (2–1) last Friday for a short training camp in Grassau in southern Germany, to get used to the grass pitches there.
However, a glance at their recent results in European competition shows that Kjetil Knutsen’s team usually manage this adjustment without any major problems. They’ve only lost one of their last six away outings on the continental stage – namely the Champions League round of 16 second leg at Sporting Lisbon, which ended 5-0 after extra time. What’s more, in the Champions League and its qualifying rounds, they’ve claimed successes at Inter Milan (2–1), Atlético Madrid (2–1) and NEC Nijmegen (3–0), as well as respectable draws against Union Saint-Gilloise (3–3) and Borussia Dortmund (2–2).
A guide to Bodø/Glimt:
Bodø/Glimt made a name for themselves in Europe last season with their sensational run to the last 16 in their debut Champions League campaign, earning them a place alongside PSG, Arsenal and opponents Bayern on the shortlist for the prestigous Ballon d’Or Club of the Year. "Bodø/Glimt is a great story for football. The more you analyse them, the more you realise that it all makes sense,” praised Kompany. “With the money they have, they shouldn't really be competing with the teams that they are - that's the biggest compliment you can pay."
Bodø/Glimt’s successes are not a short-lived phenomenon. Kjetil Knutsen’s side already caused a stir in Europe in the 2024/25 season when they reached the semi-finals, only losing to eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur. Their current form makes impressive reading, too: since a 1-0 loss to Molde FK in May, the Norwegian club are unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions.
Team news
Kompany has almost a full squad at his disposal for the home opener in Europe’s premier club competition. The only question mark surrounds Serge Gnabry, who’s being given the necessary time to fully recover from his groin injury in the spring. “If it's not straight away, it will be soon, then we'll have everyone available with Serge,” revealed Kompany.
For the visitors, Jostein Gundersen, Håkon Evjen, August Mikkelsen, Magnus Bech Riisnæs and Isak Sjong have not made the trip to Munich due to injury.
Test your knowledge of the opening Champions League fixture in our Quiz:
What the coaches say
With Norwegian teams, you always see that they run a lot. Bodø/Glimt are a great football team - well organised and very clear with and without the ball.
Vincent Kompany (FC Bayern)
Playing against one of the best teams in the world gives us a reference point. That’s something we’re good at here at Glimt – finding a benchmark to strive towards.
Kjetil Knutsen (FK Bodø/Glimt)
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