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The Women’s Champions League draw for the group stages of the 2024-25 edition of the tournament will take place on Friday, September 27 in Nyon.
Unlike the men’s edition of the tournament which has changed this season to a league-based format, the women’s while smaller is still split into the more traditional groups of four, although changes are due to come in for the 2025-26 season.
The Women’s Champions League has been held every year since 2009-10 when it was renamed from the Uefa Women’s Cup, and Lyon are the most successful side with eight titles, although Barcelona, who have won the tournament three times, are the defending champions. There are only 16 teams in total in the group stages, and those sides will be split into four groups of four. Only four teams including the defending champions qualified automatically, with the other 12 places determined by rounds of qualification – which Women’s Super League sides Arsenal and Manchester City both came through successfully.
Fellow WSL side Chelsea are also in the draw after qualifying as league champions. Follow all the live action from the draw in Nyon in the blog below:
Uefa Women’s Champions League draw – LIVE
Here’s a full list of match dates to mark – as well as when the draw will be made for the knock-out phase in the new year.
- Matchday 1: 8/9 October
- Matchday 2: 16/17 October
- Matchday 3: 12/13 November
- Matchday 4: 20/21 November
- Matchday 5: 11/12 December
- Matchday 6: 17/18 December
Quarter-final & semi-final draw: 7 February, Nyon
Quarter-finals:First leg: 18/19 March; Second leg: 26/27 March
Semi-finals:First leg: 19/20 April; Second leg: 26/27 April
Final: 23, 24 or 25 May tbc (Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon)
Karl Matchett27 September 2024 11:10
Uefa Women’s Champions League draw – LIVE
In terms of the draw…well, if you’ve seen any men’s Champions League draws over the past few decades, or the women’s draw over the last few years, you’ll know what’s coming.
One team from each pot goes into each group, so four-team collectives who will face each other during the group stage.
Teams from the same nation can’t face each other at this stage and that straight away means Chelsea will face either Wolfsburg or Real Madrid, for example, as their Pot 2 opponents.
Karl Matchett27 September 2024 11:00
Uefa Women’s Champions League draw – LIVE
So – let’s go over the main points of today’s draw first. Starting with: Which teams are in each pot? Here’s a full rundown…
- Barcelona
- Lyon
- Bayern Munich
- Chelsea
- Wolfsburg
- Arsenal
- Real Madrid
- Manchester City
- Juventus
- St. Pölten
- Roma
- Twente
- Valerenga
- Celtic
- Hammarby
- Galatasaray
Karl Matchett27 September 2024 10:51
Uefa Women’s Champions League draw – LIVE
The draw ceremony itself starts at noon, with three WSL sides set to be involved – and Celtic too from north of the border, after they beat Vorskla Poltova in their qualifier to become the first Scottish side to reach the group stage.
Man City had an easy time of things across two legs to hammer Paris 8-0 on aggregate, but Arsenal had a one-goal deficit to overcome from the first leg.
They did so in style, a 4-0 victory over Hacken ensuring they’re in the groups – while Chelsea are of course there too after winning last season’s Women’s Super League.
Karl Matchett27 September 2024 10:39
Women’s Champions League draw
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live build up and coverage of the Women’s Champions League draw in Nyon.
The women’s competition is markedly smaller than the men’s version with just 16 teams reaching the group stages, although there are extensive knockout stages before that.
Only one Women’s Super League club, Chelsea, qualified automatically for the group stages, with second and third, Manchester City and Arsenal sent into the pre-group stage knockout rounds.
Sonia Twigg23 September 2024 16:18