Seeding in the Champions League 2022/2023

UEFA European Cup Football
by Bert Kassies

This page shows the list of seeded and unseeded clubs for draws in the qualifying rounds and the group stage of the Champions League 2022/2023. The UEFA Club Ranking of 2022 determines the seeding of the clubs in the tables below. See Qualification 2022/2023 for a list of qualified clubs, and Access List 2022/2023 for an overview of berths per country. More detailed information may also be found in the official CL regulations (pdf or online).

This seeding list is according to the format of the 2021-24 period. All clubs eliminated in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League are transferred to the Europa League or the Europa Conference League. For details, see the new Access List 2022/2023 and 2021-24 qualifying scheme. The 2nd and 3rd qualifying rounds, and the play-off round of the Champions League are split into two sections: one for champions and one for non-champions.

Although the regulations no longer require the use of regional groups (as used before 2009), until now UEFA still uses some kind of regionalization in the first qualifying rounds. At first the clubs are divided into seeded and unseeded clubs, and then the seeded and unseeded clubs are split into regional groups. The general approach seems to use the North/Central/South scheme, but no specific rules are known.

Russian clubs are suspended from participation in UEFA competitions. The access list will be re-balanced as follows:

  1. The champion of Scotland (Celtic) moves from CL-PO to CL-GS,
  2. The champion of Turkey (Trabzonspor) moves from CL-Q3 to CL-PO,
  3. The champion of Cyprus (Apollon Limassol) moves from CL-Q2 to CL-Q3,
  4. The champions of Croatia (Dinamo Zagreb) and Switzerland (FC Zürich) move from CL-Q1 to CL-Q2,
  5. The runners-up of Austria (Sturm Graz) and Scotland (Glasgow Rangers) move from CL-Q2nc to CL-Q3nc,
  6. The cup winner of Turkey (Sivasspor) and the 3rd team of Denmark (Silkeborg IF) move from EL-Q3 to EL-PO,
  7. The runner-up of Serbia (Partizan Belgrade) moves from ECL-Q2 to EL-Q3,
  8. The cup winners of Czechia (1.FC Slovácko), Croatia (Hajduk Split), and Switzerland (FC Lugano) move from ECL-Q2 to ECL-Q3,
  9. The cup winners (or runners-up) of Poland (Raków Czestochowa), Slovenia (NK Koper), Slovakia (Spartak Trnava), Liechtenstein (FC Vaduz), Lithuania (Suduva Marijampole), Luxembourg (Racing Union Luxembourg), Bosnia-Herzegovina (Velez Mostar), Ireland (St. Patrick's Athletic), North Macedonia (Makedonija GjP), and Armenia (Ararat-Armenia) move from ECL-Q1 to ECL-Q2,
  10. As a result there will be only 16 CL-Q1 losers in ECL-Q2ch, one of them gets a bye to ECL-Q3ch (to be determined by a draw).

The Champions League title holder (Real Madrid) qualified already for the CL group stage by the domestic league. The access list will be re-balanced as follows:

  1. The 1st placed club of Ukraine (Shakhtar Donetsk) moves from CL-PO to CL-GS,
  2. The champion of Denmark (FC København) moves from CL-Q3 to CL-PO,
  3. The champion of Serbia (Red Star Belgrade) moves from CL-Q2 to CL-Q3,
  4. The champions of Greece (Olympiakos Piraeus) and Israel (Maccabi Haifa) move from CL-Q1 to CL-Q2,
  5. As a result there will be only 15 CL-Q1 losers in ECL-Q2ch, two of them get a bye to ECL-Q3ch (to be determined by a draw).

CL-PR: Preliminary round (4 clubs) 

Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Levadia Tallinn          Est   4.750             Inter Club d'Escaldes    And   3.000
La Fiorita               Sma   4.000             Vikingur Reykjavik       Isl   1.075

The preliminary round of the Champions League is played as a mini-tournament (June 21-24, Iceland) and consist of 3 matches: 2 semi-finals and a final. See UEFA Champions League preliminary round draw for more info.

CL-Q1: 1st Qualifying Round for Champions (30 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Qarabag FK               Azb  25.000             Linfield Belfast         Nir   7.000
Malmö FF                 Swe  23.500             Zrinjski Mostar          Bos   7.000
Ludogorets Razgrad       Bul  23.000             Shakhtior Saligorsk      Bls   6.250
Sheriff Tiraspol         Mol  22.500             Sutjeska Niksic          Mon   6.250
CFR Cluj                 Rom  19.500             KI Klaksvik              Far   6.250
Bodø/Glimt               Nor  17.000             Lech Poznan              Pol   6.000
Ferencváros              Hun  15.500             Hibernians FC            Mlt   5.500
NK Maribor               Slo  14.000             Tobol Kustanai           Kaz   4.500
Slovan Bratislava        Svk  13.000             FK Shkupi                Mac   4.500
HJK Helsinki             Fin   8.500             Pyunik Yerevan           Arm   4.250
The New Saints           Wal   8.500             RFS Riga                 Lat   4.000
F91 Dudelange            Lux   8.500             Dinamo Batumi            Geo   3.250
Zalgiris Vilnius         Lit   8.000             KF Tirana                Alb   2.750
Lincoln Red Imps         Gib   7.250             FC Ballkani              Kos   1.633
Shamrock Rovers          Irl   7.000             Vikingur Reykjavik *p    Isl   1.075

Before the draw the 30 clubs of the 1st round are divided into 3 groups of 10 clubs each. See UEFA Champions League 1st qualifying round draw for more info. The draw groups are as follows:
Group 1
seeded: Ludogorets Razgrad, CFR Cluj, Ferencváros, NK Maribor, F91 Dudelange
unseeded: Shakhtior Saligorsk, Sutjeska Niksic, Tobol Kustanai, Pyunik Yerevan, KF Tirana
Group 2
seeded: Malmö FF, Bodø/Glimt, HJK Helsinki, The New Saints, Zalgiris Vilnius
unseeded: Linfield Belfast, KI Klaksvik, CL-PR *p, RFS Riga, FC Ballkani
Group 3
seeded: Qarabag FK, Sheriff Tiraspol, Slovan Bratislava, Lincoln Red Imps, Shamrock Rovers
unseeded: Zrinjski Mostar, Lech Poznan, Hibernians FC, FK Shkupi, Dinamo Batumi

The draw for the 2nd qualifying round is made before the results of the preliminary round and the 1st qualifying round are known. Clubs of the preliminary round and the 1st qualifying round are seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved. The following lower ranked teams qualified (and are seeded in the draw with the coefficient of their opponent in the 1st qualifying round): Pyunik Yerevan beat CFR Cluj (19.500), Linfield Belfast beat The New Saints (8.500), and FK Shkupi beat Lincoln Red Imps (7.250).

CL-Q2: 2nd Qualifying Round for Champions (20 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Dinamo Zagreb            Cro  49.500             NK Maribor *             Slo  14.000
Olympiakos Piraeus       Gre  41.000             Slovan Bratislava *      Svk  13.000
Viktoria Plzen           Cze  31.000             HJK Helsinki *           Fin   8.500
Qarabag FK *             Azb  25.000             Linfield Belfast *       Nir  (8.500)
Malmö FF *               Swe  23.500             F91 Dudelange *          Lux   8.500
Ludogorets Razgrad *     Bul  23.000             Zalgiris Vilnius *       Lit   8.000
Sheriff Tiraspol *       Mol  22.500             FK Shkupi *              Mac  (7.250)
Pyunik Yerevan *         Arm (19.500)            Maccabi Haifa            Isr   7.000
Bodø/Glimt *             Nor  17.000             Shamrock Rovers *        Irl   7.000
Ferencváros *            Hun  15.500             FC Zürich                Sui   7.000

Before the draw the 20 club(pair)s of the 2nd round are divided into 2 groups of 6 clubs and 1 group of 8 clubs. See UEFA Champions League 2nd qualifying round draw for more info. The draw groups are as follows:
Group 1
seeded: Dinamo Zagreb, Qarabag FK *, Ferencváros *
unseeded: Slovan Bratislava *, Lincoln Red Imps *, FC Zürich
Group 2
seeded: Viktoria Plzen, Malmö FF *, Bodø/Glimt *
unseeded: HJK Helsinki *, The New Saints *, Zalgiris Vilnius *
Group 3
seeded: Olympiakos Piraeus, Ludogorets Razgrad *, Sheriff Tiraspol *, CFR Cluj *
unseeded: NK Maribor * , F91 Dudelange *, Maccabi Haifa, Shamrock Rovers *

CL-Q2nc: 2nd Qualifying Round for Non-Champions (4 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Dinamo Kyiv              Ukr  44.000             Fenerbahçe               Tur  14.500
FC Midtjylland           Den  19.000             AEK Larnaca              Cyp   7.500

The draw for the 3rd qualifying round is made before the results of the 2nd qualifying round are known. Clubs of the 2nd qualifying round are seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved. The following lower ranked teams qualified (and are seeded in the draw with the coefficient of their opponent in the 2nd qualifying round): Maccabi Haifa beat Olympiakos Piraeus (41.000), Zalgiris Vilnius beat Malmö FF (23.500), and Pyunik Yerevan beat F91 Dudelange (8.500).

CL-Q3: 3rd Qualifying Round for Champions (12 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Dinamo Zagreb **         Cro  49.500             Ludogorets Razgrad *     Bul  23.000
Red Star Belgrade        Srb  46.000             Sheriff Tiraspol *       Mol  22.500
Maccabi Haifa **         Isr (41.000)            Bodø/Glimt *             Nor  17.000
Viktoria Plzen **        Cze  31.000             Ferencváros *            Hun  15.500
Qarabag FK *             Azb  25.000             Apollon Limassol         Cyp  14.000
Zalgiris Vilnius *       Lit (23.500)            Pyunik Yerevan *         Arm  (8.500)

Before the draw the 12 club(pair)s of the 3rd round are divided into 2 groups of 6 clubs. See UEFA Champions League 3rd qualifying round draw for more info. The draw groups are as follows:
Group 1
seeded: Dinamo Zagreb **, Olympiakos Piraeus **, Qarabag FK *
unseeded: Ludogorets Razgrad *, Ferencváros *, Apollon Limassol
Group 2
seeded: Red Star Belgrade, Viktoria Plzen **, Malmö FF *
unseeded: Sheriff Tiraspol *, Bodø/Glimt *, F91 Dudelange *

CL-Q3nc: 3rd Qualifying Round for Non-Champions (8 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Benfica                  Por  61.000             AS Monaco                Fra  26.000
Glasgow Rangers          Sco  50.250             FC Midtjylland **        Den  19.000
Dinamo Kyiv **           Ukr  44.000             Sturm Graz               Aut   7.770
PSV Eindhoven            Ned  33.000             Union Saint-Gilloise     Bel   6.120

The draw for the play-off round is made before the results of the 3rd qualifying round are known. Clubs of the 3rd qualifying round are seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved. The following lower ranked teams qualified (and are seeded in the draw with the coefficient of their opponent in the 3rd qualifying round): Maccabi Haifa beat Apollon Limassol (14.000).

CL-PO: Play-off Round for Champions (8 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Dinamo Zagreb **         Cro  49.500             Qarabag FK *             Azb  25.000
Red Star Belgrade *3     Srb  46.000             Bodø/Glimt *             Nor  17.000
FC København             Den  40.500             Maccabi Haifa **         Isr (14.000)
Viktoria Plzen **        Cze  31.000             Trabzonspor              Tur   5.500

See UEFA Champions League play-off round draw for more info.

CL-POnc: Play-off Round for Non-Champions (4 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Benfica *3               Por  61.000             Dinamo Kyiv **           Ukr  44.000
Glasgow Rangers *3       Sco  50.250             PSV Eindhoven *3         Ned  33.000
Once the play-off round has been completed, the 32 remaining clubs are drawn into eight groups of four. For the purpose of the draw the clubs are divided into 4 pots. The CL title-holder, the EL title-holder and the champions of the 6 top-ranked associations are placed in pot 1. If a title-holder is already in pot 1 then the champion of the next-ranked association is also put in pot 1. The other pots are filled according to the club ranking.

CL-GS: Group Stage (32 clubs) 
Pot 1                          coef.             Pot 2                          coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Real Madrid              Esp 124.000             Liverpool                Eng 134.000
Eintracht Frankfurt      Ger  61.000             Chelsea                  Eng 123.000
Manchester City          Eng 134.000             FC Barcelona             Esp 114.000
AC Milan                 Ita  38.000             Juventus                 Ita 107.000
Bayern München           Ger 138.000             Atlético Madrid          Esp 105.000
Paris Saint-Germain      Fra 112.000             Sevilla                  Esp  91.000
FC Porto                 Por  80.000             RB Leipzig               Ger  83.000
Ajax                     Ned  82.500             Tottenham Hotspur        Eng  83.000


Pot 3                          coef.             Pot 4                          coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Borussia Dortmund        Ger  78.000             Glasgow Rangers *3       Sco  50.250
FC Salzburg              Aut  71.000             Dinamo Zagreb **         Cro  49.500
Shakhtar Donetsk         Ukr  71.000             Olympique Marseille      Fra  44.000
Internazionale           Ita  67.000             FC København *4          Den  40.500
Napoli                   Ita  66.000             Club Brugge              Bel  38.500
Benfica *3               Por  61.000             Celtic                   Sco  33.000
Sporting CP Lisbon       Por  55.500             Viktoria Plzen **        Cze  31.000
Bayer Leverkusen         Ger  53.000             Maccabi Haifa **         Isr   7.000

Clubs from the same association will not be drawn into the same group and are paired to play on separate days as much as possible. The groups A-D are assigned a red colour and the groups E-H are blue. When a paired club is drawn into a group the other paired club can only be drawn into a group with another colour.

A computer draw determines the fixtures such that each club plays one home and one away match against each other club in its group. A club does not play more than two home or two away matches in a row and each club plays one home match and one away match on the first two matchdays and the last two matchdays.

The eight group-winners and eight runners-up of the group stage qualify for the round of 16. The clubs that finish this stage in third position in their group qualify for the knockout round play-offs of the Europa League. The clubs that finish this stage in fourth position in their group are eliminated.

In the draw for the round of 16 clubs from the same association, and winners and runners-up of the same group, can not be drawn against each other. The group winners are seeded above the runners-up and the runners up play the first leg at home.

CL-R16: Round of 16 (16 clubs) 
1st in CL group                                  2nd in CL group
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Napoli                   Ita  66.000             Liverpool                Eng 134.000
FC Porto                 Por  80.000             Club Brugge              Bel  38.500
Bayern München           Ger 138.000             Internazionale           Ita  67.000
Tottenham Hotspur        Eng  83.000             Eintracht Frankfurt      Ger  61.000
Chelsea                  Eng 123.000             AC Milan                 Ita  38.000
Real Madrid              Esp 124.000             RB Leipzig               Ger  83.000
Manchester City          Eng 134.000             Borussia Dortmund        Ger  78.000
Benfica *3               Por  61.000             Paris Saint-Germain      Fra 112.000

For the draw of the quarter-finals and semi-finals no clubs will be seeded.

KEY:

*p=club started in preliminary round
*=club started in 1st qualifying round
**=club started in 2nd qualifying round
*3=club started in 3rd qualifying round
*4=club started in play-off round
*!=Russian clubs are suspended

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