The much-anticipated draw for the group stage of the 2023/2024 Champions League season has taken place, revealing the groups and matchups for the participating teams. This edition marks the 69th iteration of UEFA’s premier club tournament and the 32nd since its transformation into the esteemed UEFA Champions League.
The upcoming Champions League group stage is set to showcase a total of 32 teams, with 26 clubs securing direct entry and an additional six teams emerging as qualification winners. The official draw event was held in Monaco on the 31st of August.
Before the draw, all participating teams were categorized into four distinct baskets. The first basket held last season’s Champions League and Europa League winners – Manchester City and Sevilla, respectively. Furthermore, the remaining six positions in the first basket were occupied by championship winners, who maintained the top six positions in the ranking.
An exception was made due to Manchester City’s dual victory in the Champions League and the English Premier League, which led to an extra slot being granted to the Dutch champion. The distribution of the remaining three baskets was orchestrated according to the clubs’ rankings.
The composition of each group comprises one team from every basket, and an important stipulation was upheld during the draw: teams from the same country could not be grouped together in any single basket.
Results of the Champions League draw
The outcome of the Champions League draw for the group stage has resulted in the following groups:
- Group A: Bayern, Manchester United, Copenhagen, Galatasaray
- Group B: Sevilla, Arsenal, PSV, Lance
- Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid, Braga, Union Berlin
- Group D: Benfica, Inter, Salzburg, Real Sociedad
- Group E: Feyenoord, Atletico, Lazio, Celtic
- Group F: PSG, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Newcastle.
- Group G: Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Crvena Zvezda, Young Boys.
- Group H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar, Royal Antwerp
The much-anticipated group stage will kick off in mid-September and extend through mid-December. The tournament’s first-round matches are scheduled for the 19th and 20th of September, while the sixth round is slated for the 12th and 13th of December. The draw event will also encompass the recognition of notable achievements, including awards for the best player and player of the season, the best coach in both men’s and women’s football, and the prestigious UEFA-2023 President’s Award.
Ultimately, the pinnacle of the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 season will culminate in the grand final at Wembley Stadium. London will host this prestigious event for a historic eighth time, marking the third occasion in the Champions League era. Wembley Stadium previously hosted the finals in 2011 and 2013.
