2022/23 Champions League group stage taking shape with 26 of the 32 teams known
As the curtain comes down across European leagues, the participating sides in 2022/23 competition is starting to take shape.
The final of the current season Champions League takes place next Saturday as Liverpool face Real Madrid in Paris but as the curtain comes down in many major European leagues this week, 26 participants of the 32 that will form the group stages of the 2022/23 competition are already known.
Group stage sides:
26 teams have already qualified for the 22/23 group stage
- Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and Sevilla
- Germany: Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern, Dortmund and Leverkusen
- England: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham
- Italy: Milan, Inter, Napoli and Juventus
- France: PSG and Marseille
- Portugal: Porto and Sporting de Portugal
- Netherlands: Ajax
- Belgium: Brugge
- Austria: RB Salzburg
- Scotland: Celtic
- Ukraine: Shakhtar Donetsk
Before this group stage, a number of sides will embark on a long preliminary phase with six further group stage places at stake. These games get underway on 21 June featuring the likes of champions from San Marino, Iceland, Estonia and Andorra.
In later rounds, European heavyweights suchs as Benfica, PSV, Monaco, Fenerbahce and Rangers enter the fray with the final round of qualifiers concluding on 23-24 August.
The draw for the group stage of the 2022/23 competition is scheduled for 25 August.