Champions League draw: TV channel, stream details, pots and key dates for Celtic and Rangers
and live on Freeview channel 276
Rangers will join Celtic in the Champions League group stage draw this afternoon after Antonio Colak’s winner against PSV Eindhoven completed a memorable 3-2 aggregate win over the Dutch outfit.
Last season’s Europa League finalists will feature alongside their Old Firm rivals at European football’s top table this season where they will face some some of the biggest clubs in world football.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdGiovanni van Bronckhorst has now guided his side to six wins out of six in two-legged European knockout ties so far this year - an impressive record given the calibre of teams including Borussi Dortmund.
Across the city, Ange Postecoglou will be aiming to restore Celtic’s best form on the continental stage after the Parkhead club suffered Europa Conference League disappointment against FK Bodo/Glimt last season.
Here is everything you need to know about the Champions League group stage draw....
How does the Champions League group stage draw work?
The draw will feature 32 teams: 26 teams given direct entry to the group phase and the six winners of the play-off ties. The teams are placed into four seeding pots.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdPot 1 consists of the holders, the UEFA Europa League winners and the champions of the six highest ranked nations who did not qualify via one of the 2021/22 titles; Pots 2, 3 and 4 are determined by the club coefficient rankings.
Fixtures will be confirmed after the draw, which will be staged over an eight-week period due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The top TWO teams in each group will advance to the Round of 16. The third-placed sides will drop into the UEFA Europa League knockout phase, where they will face group stage runners-up for places in the last 16.
When is the group stage draw?
The UEFA Champions League group stage draw takes place tonight at 5pm UK time - Thursday, August 25.
It will be held in Istanbul, Turkey.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWill the draw be shown live on TV?
Yes, the draw will be made live on BT Sport 1. Coverage begins at 4.45pm - 15 minutes before proceedings get underway.
Can I stream the draw?
Yes, you will be able to stream the draw live on UEFA’s official website or through the BT Sport app.
Which teams could Celtic and Rangers face in the group stages?
Celtic and Rangers will be in POT 4 alongside Club Brugge, Marseille, Maccabi Haifa, Viktoria Plzen, FC Copenhagen and Dinamo Zagreb.
In the case of associations with two representatitives (eg - Scottish Premiership), clubs will be paired in order to split their matches between Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s. This means Celtic and Rangers will not face each other in the group stages.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdPOT 1 - Real Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, Manchester City, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Porto, Ajax
POT 2 - Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, RB Leipzig, Tottenham Hotspur
POT 3 - Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Salzburg, Shakthar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Napoli, Sporting Lisbon, Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica
Best/Worst case scenarios for Celtic and Rangers?
Best case (Celtic) - Eintracht Frankfurt, Sevilla, Red Bull Salzburg
Worst case - Manchester City, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund
Best case (Rangers) - Ajax, RB Leipzig, Sporting Lisbon
Worst case - Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter Milan
What are the key fixture dates?
Matchday 1 - September 6/7
Matchday 2 - September 13/14
Matchday 3 - October 4/5
Matchday 4 - October 11/12
Matchday 5 - October 25/26
Matchday 6 - November 1/2
Round of 16 draw - November 7
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.