All you need to know about the UEFA Champions League group-stage draw

For the 12th year in a row, Paris Saint-Germain have qualified for the UEFA Champions League – and the tension of the group-stage draw is still just as intense. So, now that we know the names of all of the teams that have made it through to the competition proper, let's take a look at the ins and outs of the draw itself, which is set to take place today at 18:00 CET.

THE RULES:

- 32 teams are involved in the draw: the 26 teams that qualified directly for the group stage as well as the six teams that came through the qualifying rounds.

- The 32 teams are split into four pots. Pot 1 consists of the holders, the 2022–2023 UEFA Europa League winners and the domestic league champions from the six associations with the highest coefficient ranking that did not qualify by winning one of the 2022–2023 continental titles (this includes Paris Saint-Germain). Pots 2 to 4 are determined by club coefficient rankings.

- In the case of associations with two representatives, clubs are paired together in order to split their games between Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In the case of associations with four or more representatives, two such pairings are made. These pairings are based on TV audiences.

- No team can play against a side from their own association. As a result, Paris Saint-Germain cannot face the only other French side that qualified for the competition, RC Lens.

THE QUALIFIED TEAMS:

Pot 1:
Manchester City FC (ENG, UEFA Champions League holders)
Sevilla FC (ESP, UEFA Europa League holders)
FC Barcelona (ESP)
SSC Napoli (ITA)
FC Bayern München (GER)
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
SL Benfica (POR)
Feyenoord (NED)

Pot 2:
Real Madrid CF (ESP)
Manchester United FC (ENG)
FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)
Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)
RB Leipzig (GER)
FC Porto (POR)
Arsenal FC (ENG)

Pot 3:
FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
RB Salzburg (AUT)
AC Milan (ITA)
SC Braga (POR)
PSV Eindhoven (NED)
S.S. Lazio (ITA)
FK Crvena zvezda (SER)
F.C. Copenhagen (DEN)

Pot 4:
BSC Young Boys (SUI)
Real Sociedad de Fútbol (ESP)
Galatasaray A.Ş. (TUR)
Celtic FC (SCO)
Newcastle United FC (ENG)
1. FC Union Berlin (GER)
Royal Antwerp FC (BEL)
RC Lens (FRA)

THE SCHEDULE:

Matchday 1: Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th September
Matchday 2: Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th October
Matchday 3: Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th October
Matchday 4: Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th November
Matchday 5: Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th November
Matchday 6: Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th December