UEFA Champions League 2021-22: When is the UCL draw? Date, time, teams involved and more
The 2021-22 UEFA Champions League draw for the group stages is set to be held on August 26, Thursday. Chelsea are the reigning champions in the competition after getting the better of Premier League rivals Manchester City in the 2020-21 final held in May.
Due to their triumph last term, Chelsea are among the top seeds involved in the draw for the group stages of the Champions League. Europa League winners Villarreal, who recently lost to Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup, are also part of the top seeds in the draw.
In addition to Chelsea and Villarreal, the likes of Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter, Lille, Sporting Lisbon and Manchester City are also part of Pot 1. Notably, none of the teams in Pot 1 will be drawn against each other in the group stages of the Champions League.
Which teams fill up the other pots in the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League draw?
At the time of writing, only 26 teams have guaranteed their berth in the group stages of the 2021-22 Champions League. As many as six spots will be filled by the clubs currently involved in the playoffs to qualify for the Champions League group stages.
The likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund are the teams included in Pot 2.
Pot 3 and Pot 4 have not been fully filled yet due to several teams still taking part in the playoffs. However, the likes of Ajax, RB Leipzig, Atalanta, FC Porto and Zenit have sealed their spots in Pot 3. AC Milan and Wolfsburg are the notable teams currently pitted alongside each other in Pot 4 ahead of the draw for the group stages of the Champions League.
UEFA Champions League 2021-22 group stage draw: Where to watch?
The draw for the group stages of the Champions League will begin at 9:30 PM (IST). Although the event is being held in Istanbul, it will be streamed live through UEFA's official website.
The final of the 2021-22 Champions League will be held in Saint Petersburg, Russia on May 28, 2022. However, the group stages of the Champions League will begin on September 14, 2021.
Also read: 5 teams desperate to win the UEFA Champions League this season (2021-22)