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Seeding in the Champions League 2023/2024

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 2023/2024. The UEFA Club Ranking of 2023 determines the seeding of the clubs in the tables below. See Qualification 2023/2024 for a list of qualified clubs, and Access List 2023/2024 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 2023/2024 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 Serbia (Red Star Belgrade) moves from CL-PO to CL-GS,
  2. The champion of Belgium (Royal Antwerp) moves from CL-Q3 to CL-PO,
  3. The champion of Greece (AEK Athens) moves from CL-Q2 to CL-Q3,
  4. The champions of Denmark (FC København) and Croatia (Dinamo Zagreb) move from CL-Q1 to CL-Q2,
  5. The runner-up of Serbia (TSC Backa Topola) moves from CL-Q2nc to CL-Q3nc,
  6. The cup winners (or league 3rd) of Belgium (Union Saint-Gilloise) and Switzerland (FC Lugano) move from EL-Q3 to EL-PO,
  7. The cup winner of Czechia (Slavia Praha) moves from ECL-Q2 to EL-Q3,
  8. The cup winners (or runners-up) of Norway (SK Brann Bergen), Denmark (FC Nordsjælland), and Croatia (Hajduk Split) move from ECL-Q2 to ECL-Q3,
  9. The cup winners (or runners-up) of Slovakia (Spartak Trnava), Slovenia (NK Celje), Belarus (Torpedo Zhodino), Moldova (Petrocub Hîncesti), Lithuania (Kauno Zalgiris), Bosnia-Herzegovina (FK Borac Banja Luka), Finland (KuPS Kuopio), Luxembourg (Differdange 03), Latvia (FK Auda), and Kosovo (FC Drita) 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 (Manchester City) qualified already for the CL group stage by the domestic league. The access list will be re-balanced as follows:

  1. The champion of Ukraine (Shakhtar Donetsk) moves from CL-PO to CL-GS,
  2. The champion of Switzerland (Young Boys) moves from CL-Q3 to CL-PO,
  3. The champion of Czechia (Sparta Praha) moves from CL-Q2 to CL-Q3,
  4. The champions of Turkey (Galatasaray) and Cyprus (Aris Limassol) 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.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Buducnost Podgorica      Mon   7.500             Tre Penne                Sma   4.000
Breidablik               Isl   6.000             Atlètic Club d'Escaldes  And   1.033

The preliminary round of the Champions League is played as a mini-tournament (June 27-30, Iceland) and consist of 3 matches: 2 semi-finals and a final. See UEFA Champions League preliminary round draw for more info.

The draw for the 1st qualifying round is made before the results of the preliminary round are known. The winner of the preliminary round is seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved.

CL-Q1: 1st Qualifying Round for Champions (30 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Ferencváros              Hun  27.000             Lincoln Red Imps         Gib   8.500
Qarabag FK               Azb  25.000             KI Klaksvik              Far   8.000
Slovan Bratislava        Svk  24.500             Breidablik *p            Isl  (7.500)
Ludogorets Razgrad       Bul  21.000             Dinamo Tbilisi           Geo   7.500
Sheriff Tiraspol         Mol  19.500             Raków Czestochowa        Pol   5.000
BATE Borisov             Bls  15.000             Partizani Tirana         Alb   5.000
FK Astana                Kaz  14.000             BK Häcken                Swe   4.750
Maccabi Haifa            Isr  13.000             Farul Constanta          Rom   4.100
Zalgiris Vilnius         Lit  11.000             Valmieras FK             Lat   3.500
HJK Helsinki             Fin  11.000             FC Ballkani              Kos   3.000
Flora Tallinn            Est  10.500             Larne FC                 Nir   3.000
Shamrock Rovers          Irl   9.000             Urartu FC                Arm   3.000
The New Saints           Wal   9.000             Hamrun Spartans          Mlt   2.500
Olimpija Ljubljana       Slo   9.000             Swift Hesperange         Lux   1.800
Zrinjski Mostar          Bos   8.500             FC Struga                Mac   1.100

Before the draw the clubs of the 1st round are divided into 3 groups. See UEFA Champions League 1st qualifying round draw for more info. The draw groups were as follows:
Group 1
seeded: Ferencváros, Ludogorets Razgrad, Zalgiris Vilnius, Shamrock Rovers, The New Saints
unseeded: KI Klaksvik, Breidablik *p, BK Häcken, FC Ballkani, FC Struga
Group 2
seeded: Qarabag FK, Slovan Bratislava, HJK Helsinki, Flora Tallinn, Olimpija Ljubljana
unseeded: Lincoln Red Imps, Raków Czestochowa, Valmieras FK, Larne FC, Swift Hesperange
Group 3
seeded: Sheriff Tiraspol, BATE Borisov, FK Astana, Maccabi Haifa, Zrinjski Mostar
unseeded: Dinamo Tbilisi, Partizani Tirana, Farul Constanta, Urartu FC, Hamrun Spartans

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): KI Klaksvik beat Ferencváros (27.000), Raków Czestochowa beat Flora Tallinn (10.500), BK Häcken beat The New Saints (9.000), and Breidablik beat Shamrock Rovers (9.000).

CL-Q2: 2nd Qualifying Round for Champions (20 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Dinamo Zagreb            Cro  55.000             FK Astana *              Kaz  14.000
FC København             Den  40.500             Maccabi Haifa *          Isr  13.000
Galatasaray              Tur  31.500             Zalgiris Vilnius *       Lit  11.000
KI Klaksvik *            Far (27.000)            HJK Helsinki *           Fin  11.000
Qarabag FK *             Azb  25.000             Raków Czestochowa *      Pol (10.500)
Slovan Bratislava *      Svk  24.500             Breidablik *p            Isl  (9.000)
Molde FK                 Nor  24.000             BK Häcken *              Swe  (9.000)
Ludogorets Razgrad *     Bul  21.000             Olimpija Ljubljana *     Slo   9.000
Sheriff Tiraspol *       Mol  19.500             Zrinjski Mostar *        Bos   8.500
BATE Borisov *           Bls  15.000             Aris Limassol            Cyp   4.895

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 were as follows:
Group 1
seeded: Galatasaray, Qarabag FK *, Ludogorets Razgrad *
unseeded: Zalgiris Vilnius *, Flora Tallinn *, Olimpija Ljubljana *
Group 2
seeded: FC København, Ferencváros *, Molde FK
unseeded: HJK Helsinki *, Shamrock Rovers *, The New Saints *
Group 3
seeded: Dinamo Zagreb, Slovan Bratislava *, Sheriff Tiraspol *, BATE Borisov *
unseeded: FK Astana *, Maccabi Haifa *, Zrinjski Mostar *, Aris Limassol

CL-Q2nc: 2nd Qualifying Round for Non-Champions (4 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Racing Genk              Bel  18.000             Servette FC Genève       Sui   6.335
SC Dnipro-1              Ukr   8.000             Panathinaikos            Gre   5.045

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): Raków Czestochowa beat Qarabag FK (25.000), Olimpija Ljubljana beat Ludogorets Razgrad (21.000), Maccabi Haifa beat Sheriff Tiraspol (19.500), Servette FC Genève beat Racing Genk (18.000), Aris Limassol beat BATE Borisov (15.000), and Panathinaikos beat SC Dnipro-1 (8.000),

CL-Q3: 3rd Qualifying Round for Champions (12 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Dinamo Zagreb **         Cro  55.000             Olimpija Ljubljana *     Slo (21.000)
FC København **          Den  40.500             Maccabi Haifa *          Isr (19.500)
Galatasaray **           Tur  31.500             Aris Limassol **         Cyp (15.000)
Raków Czestochowa *      Pol (25.000)            Sparta Praha             Cze  14.000
Slovan Bratislava *      Svk  24.500             AEK Athens               Gre  11.000
Molde FK **              Nor  24.000             KI Klaksvik *            Far   8.000

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 **, Qarabag FK *, Slovan Bratislava *
unseeded: Sheriff Tiraspol *, BATE Borisov *, AEK Athens
Group 2
seeded: FC København **, Galatasaray **, Molde FK **
unseeded: Ludogorets Razgrad *, Sparta Praha, KI Klaksvik *

CL-Q3nc: 3rd Qualifying Round for Non-Champions (8 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Glasgow Rangers          Sco  54.000             Servette FC Genève **    Sui (18.000)
Sporting Braga           Por  44.000             Sturm Graz               Aut  12.500
PSV Eindhoven            Ned  43.000             Panathinaikos **         Gre  (8.000)
Olympique Marseille      Fra  33.000             TSC Backa Topola         Srb   6.475

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): AEK Athens beat Dinamo Zagreb (55.000), Panathinaikos beat Olympique Marseille (33.000), and Maccabi Haifa beat Slovan Bratislava (24.500).

CL-PO: Play-off Round for Champions (8 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
AEK Athens *3            Gre (55.000)            Maccabi Haifa *          Isr (24.500)
FC København **          Den  40.500             Molde FK **              Nor  24.000
Young Boys               Sui  34.500             Royal Antwerp            Bel  17.000
Galatasaray **           Tur  31.500             Raków Czestochowa *      Pol   5.000

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.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Glasgow Rangers *3       Sco  54.000             PSV Eindhoven *3         Ned  43.000
Sporting Braga *3        Por  44.000             Panathinaikos **         Gre (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.

Below it is assumed that high ranked teams of the play-off round qualify for the group stage. If other teams qualify some teams below may shift to a higher pot.

CL-GS: Group Stage (32 clubs) 
Pot 1                          coef.             Pot 2                          coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Manchester City          Eng 145.000             Real Madrid              Esp 121.000
Sevilla                  Esp  91.000             Manchester United        Eng 104.000
FC Barcelona             Esp  98.000             Internazionale           Ita  96.000
Napoli                   Ita  81.000             Borussia Dortmund        Ger  86.000
Bayern München           Ger 136.000             Atlético Madrid          Esp  85.000
Paris Saint-Germain      Fra 112.000             RB Leipzig               Ger  84.000
Benfica                  Por  82.000             FC Porto                 Por  81.000
Feyenoord                Ned  51.000             Arsenal                  Eng  76.000


Pot 3                          coef.             Pot 4                          coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Shakhtar Donetsk         Ukr  63.000             Young Boys *4            Sui  34.500
FC Salzburg              Aut  59.000             Real Sociedad            Esp  33.000
AC Milan                 Ita  50.000             Galatasaray **           Tur  31.500
Sporting Braga *3        Por  44.000             Celtic                   Sco  31.000
PSV Eindhoven *3         Ned  43.000             Newcastle United         Eng  21.914
Lazio                    Ita  42.000             Union Berlin             Ger  17.000
Red Star Belgrade        Srb  42.000             Royal Antwerp *4         Bel  17.000
FC København **          Den  40.500             RC Lens                  Fra  12.232

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
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Bayern München           Ger 136.000             FC København **          Den  40.500
Arsenal                  Eng  76.000             PSV Eindhoven *3         Ned  43.000
Real Madrid              Esp 121.000             Napoli                   Ita  81.000
Real Sociedad            Esp  33.000             Internazionale           Ita  96.000
Atlético Madrid          Esp  85.000             Lazio                    Ita  42.000
Borussia Dortmund        Ger  86.000             Paris Saint-Germain      Fra 112.000
Manchester City          Eng 145.000             RB Leipzig               Ger  84.000
FC Barcelona             Esp  98.000             FC Porto                 Por  81.000

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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