Featuring 72 teams from 50 European leagues, the most extensive Champions League tournament in UEFA history begins tomorrow with clubs from the UK to Georgia eyeing Lisbon’s late-May final.
Four teams secured automatic entry to the 16-team group stage in October — defending UEFA champions FC Barcelona and runners-up Lyon, along with top German finishers FC Bayern and WSL title-holders Chelsea — while this month’s qualifiers will determine the remaining 12.
The route to the Champions League group stage
There are two qualifying rounds played concurrently with two sets of teams: The champions path pits winners from each non-automatically qualified league against each other, while the league path does the same with second- and third-place finishers.
Each path starts with a series of four-team single-elimination mini-tournaments, with 59 clubs entering the semifinals on Wednesday, and just 15 progressing from the finals on Saturday.
Those 15 teams will join runners-up from major leagues in France, Germany, Spain, England, Italy, and Sweden for Round 2 later this month, all competing for a place in the group stage.
Top European clubs vie for Champions League glory
Facing Denmark’s FC Nordsjælland tomorrow, Portuguese powerhouse SL Benfica has consistently reached the group stage since the 2021-22 season.
WSL favorites Arsenal, whose 16-season UWCL quarterfinal streak was ended by Paris FC last year, will seek redemption against Scotland’s Rangers FC tomorrow. If successful, they will compete against the winner of tomorrow’s match between 2024 Women’s Cup runners-up Atlético de Madrid and Norway’s Rosenborg on Saturday.
Also happening tomorrow is a clash between Finnish side KuPS Kuopio and Scottish third-place finishers Celtic.
How to watch UEFA Champions League matches
Champions League action begins tomorrow at 5 AM ET, with exclusive live streaming coverage on DAZN.
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