UEFA Champions League Draw Rules

The Union of European Football Associations, commonly known as UEFA, hosts the Champions League tournament which, each year, brings together the best 32 club teams throughout Europe. The Champions League began in 1992 and plays games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from late summer through the spring. The tournament features 22 teams that finish near or at the top of their home leagues, and another 10 selected via qualifying matches.

  1. Qualifying Matches

    • Qualifying matches are played between teams not automatically selected for group play. Qualifying teams play selected opponents in one home and one away game. Advancing to the next stage doesn't necessarily require more wins, rather, the team with the higher aggregate of goals (the number of goals you score minus goals scored against you) advances. In the case of a tie, the team that scores more away goals advances.

    Group Stage

    • Following the completion of the qualifying round, the 32 remaining clubs are placed in groups of four, with eight groups in all. Clubs that play in the same home league, e.g., England's Premier League, do not play in the same group. Clubs play home and away matches against each of the clubs in their group. Points are awarded for each game: three for a win and one for a draw/tie. The eight teams with the highest point totals in their groups advance. The next eight teams with the highest point totals from all the remaining teams also advance.

    Final Rounds

    • The remaining 16 teams are placed in knock-out rounds: home and away games against a selected opponent. The winner is the team with the higher goal aggregate, which moves on to the quarter-finals. The same rules continue through the semi-finals until two teams remain. The final is a one game, winner-take-all match at a neutral site.