The next big thing after winning the domestic league for any team in Europe is the objective of qualifying for Champions League football and the dream of becoming the champion club of Europe.
The contenders for the title in 2023-24 emerged in the aftermath of how their 2022-23 season went.
There will be many big names both making it and losing out on playing in Europe's premier competition, but who is assured of a group stage proper place? GOAL takes a look…
Who has qualified for Champions League 2023-24?
The teams finishing in the top four in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga will book their place in the group stage of the Champions League, with two automatic spots granted to clubs in France and Portugal.
The league winners from the Netherlands, Austria, Serbia and Scotland also make it through.
Among the confirmed outfits, the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain will be back and about to battle for the ultimate prize next season, with more teams ready to up their game whether as favourites or as dark horses.
The teams that have qualified for Champions League 2023-24 can be found in the table below:
Team | Country |
|---|---|
Manchester City | England |
Arsenal | England |
Manchester United | England |
Newcastle | England |
Barcelona | Spain |
Real Madrid | Spain |
Atletico Madrid | Spain |
Real Sociedad | Spain |
Napoli | Italy |
Lazio | Italy |
Inter | Italy |
AC Milan | Italy |
Borussia Dortmund | Germany |
Bayern Munich | Germany |
RB Leipzig | Germany |
Union Berlin | Germany |
Paris Saint-Germain | France |
Lens | France |
Benfica | Portugal |
Porto | Portugal |
Feyenoord | Netherlands |
Red Bull Salzburg | Austria |
Red Star Belgrade | Serbia |
Celtic | Scotland |
When will Champions League 2023-24 begin & how many teams are involved?
The group stage of the Champions League is made up of 32 teams placed into eight groups of four teams.
As mentioned, 24 sides gain entry through their domestic league position, while the winners of the previous year’s Champions League and Europa League are also guaranteed group-stage berths.
Six sides will progress to that point through the Champions Path and League Path playoff rounds.
The first, second and third qualifying round begins on July 11, July 25 and August 8, 2023, respectively.
After the play-off round from August 22 to August 30, 2023, the draw for the group stage will be held on August 31, 2023.
Where & when will Champions League 2023-24 final be held?
The 2023-24 Champions League final will be held at none other than the iconic Wembley Stadium on June 1, 2024.