VfB Stuttgart vs Viking: Champions League Opener Preview

The Champions League returns to the MHPArena on 9 September 2026, with VfB Stuttgart hosting Norwegian side Viking in a group-stage clash that kicks off at 17:45. Both teams arrive level at the top of the early standings. That will not last long.

For viewers in the UK, the game is live on TNT Sports 5, with streaming available via HBO Max.

Stuttgart’s swing between extremes

Sebastian Hoeness brings a Stuttgart side that has already shown both faces of its season. One week, they were torn apart 5-1 by Bayern Munich. The next, they brushed aside FC Köln 4-1 in the Bundesliga.

Twelve scored, twelve conceded across their last five matches in all competitions. That tells the story. This is a team that can cut loose going forward, but still has to prove it can lock the back door at Champions League level.

There have been high points. A 4-0 dismantling of Hansa Rostock in the DFB-Pokal. A 3-1 pre-season win over Everton. Yet defeats to Bayern and Fulham underline the volatility that still shadows Hoeness’s project.

Viking arrive with quiet momentum

Viking travel to Germany with a very different rhythm. Morten Jensen’s team are unbeaten in their last five, with two wins and two draws in that run, scoring eight and conceding five.

Their Champions League credentials received a serious boost in qualifying. They beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 in one leg and drew 2-2 in the other to go through, then followed that up with a 3-1 cup win away at Brodd. Their latest Eliteserien outing ended in a 1-1 draw with Sandefjord, a reminder that they are still juggling domestic and European demands.

They may not carry the glamour of Stuttgart, but they arrive hardened by knockout football and used to surviving tight situations.

Klopp in the stands, change on the pitch

Around Stuttgart, there is another storyline. New Germany manager Jurgen Klopp has been touring Bundesliga clubs ahead of his first international fixtures, and Stuttgart have been on his scouting route. His presence at training and in the stands adds an edge for players who know a strong Champions League performance can alter their international prospects overnight.

On the transfer front, Hoeness must now navigate without Chema Andrés. The midfielder left for Brighton on deadline day, trimming Stuttgart’s options in the middle of the pitch and forcing a tactical rethink just as the European campaign begins.

Team news: Stuttgart

Hoeness faces a mix of injuries and suspension.

Goalkeeper Dennis Seimen is out, so Fabian Bredlow is in line to start between the posts. Ahead of him, the projected back four reads: Josha Vagnoman, Jeff Chabot, Finn Jeltsch, and Maximilian Mittelstaedt.

In midfield, Angelo Stiller and Grischa Prömel are expected to anchor the centre, with Jamie Leweling, Chris Führich, and Deniz Undav offering support and creativity behind the striker. Up front, Dzenan Pejcinovic is tipped to lead the line.

Nikolas Nartey misses out through suspension, while forward Tiago Tomas is sidelined by injury. Stuttgart still have depth, but the absences strip away some flexibility from Hoeness’s bench.

Team news: Viking

Viking also arrive short-handed.

Coach Morten Jensen will be without Veton Berisha, Anders Baertelsen, and Sondre Bjørshol due to injury. There are no suspensions listed for the Norwegian side.

Arild Østbø is expected to start in goal, protected by a back line of Gianni Stensness, Henrik Heggheim, Jesper Daland, and Vetle Auklend. In midfield, Kristoffer Askildsen, Joe Bell, and Tobias Moi should form the core, with Zlatko Tripic, Peter Christiansen, and Simen Kvia-Egeskog leading the attack.

It is a side built on structure and work-rate, with enough quality in the final third to punish any lapse.

Form lines and first-time meeting

Stuttgart’s last five in all competitions: three wins, two defeats, 12 scored, 12 conceded. Viking’s last five: two wins, two draws, no losses, eight scored, five conceded.

There is no previous head-to-head record between the clubs. No history to lean on, no old scars to reopen. Just a clean slate in Europe, and a chance for one of them to plant a flag in this group.

How to watch VfB Stuttgart vs Viking in the UK

The match will be shown live on TNT Sports 5. Streaming is available via HBO Max for subscribers.

For supporters travelling or living abroad who want to access their usual services, many turn to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to get around geo-restrictions. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection and lets you appear online as if you were in another country, which can unlock broadcasts that are otherwise blocked in your location.

The basic steps are straightforward:

Sign up to a reputable VPN provider and install the app on your device.
Open the app and connect to a server in a country where the match is being shown.
Clear your browser cookies or refresh your app so the new location is recognised.
Log in to your chosen broadcaster and start the stream.

Those wanting the game on a big screen can run the VPN on a smart TV, a streaming device, or cast from a phone or laptop once connected.

Stuttgart’s firepower against Viking’s resilience, Klopp watching on, and group leadership on the line. For an early-season night in Stuttgart, the stakes already feel a size bigger.