When is the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League group stage draw?

Champions League draw live online

The Champions League second leg playoffs take place today, meaning group stage European football in UEFA’s premiere competition is just around the corner.

Before the action gets underway in September, though, the Champions League draw needs to take place to provide us with eight groups of four teams. Istanbul is the location for proceedings.

How does the Champions League group stage draw work?

The draw will see 32 teams split into eight groups of four. Pot 1 will consist of the defending Champions League and Europa League title winners, as well as the reigning league champions from each of the top six nations as ranked by the UEFA country coefficient list.

Because Real Madrid are the Spanish league champions and the reigning Champions League winners, the Pot 1 spot reserved for the Spanish champions is assigned to the next best nation in the coefficient list. Reigning Eredivisie champions Ajax have been moved to Pot 1 as a result.

Pots 2, 3, and 4 is based on the UEFA club coefficient list, which is a mathematical formula to evaluate a specific club’s performance in domestic and continental competitions over the past five years.

When is the Champions League group stage draw?

The Champions League 2022-23 group stage draw will take place on Thursday 25 August 2022. The draw will be held in Istanbul, Turkey at the Halic Congress Center and the event will get underway at 7pm local time (12pm ET).

When does the Champions League 2022-23 group stage start and end?

The Champions League 2022-23 group stage begins with matches on Tuesday 6 September and Wednesday 7 September.

There will be a total of six matchdays in the group stage, running until Tuesday 1 November and Wednesday 2 November.

All six group matchdays will finish before the World Cup break with the knockout rounds starting in February 2023.