The Champions League draw for the new European season takes place this Thursday, and the vast majority of the 36 qualified clubs are already known, including Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Barcelona and Lens. Four places remain undecided heading into Wednesday’s playoff return legs, most notably Lyon’s decisive match against Fenerbahçe.
Who has already secured a place in the group stage?
Following Tuesday’s playoff return fixtures, the bulk of the 36-team field for the competition’s league phase has been finalized. Traditional heavyweights such as PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Barcelona have all confirmed their participation, alongside Lens, representing part of the wider group of clubs that navigated qualifying rounds or entered via domestic performance last season.
These sides join the list of automatic qualifiers from Europe’s top leagues, filling out most of the slots before the final playoff outcomes are known. Only a handful of names remain to be added once Wednesday’s matches conclude.
What is still left to decide before Thursday’s draw?
Four qualification tickets are still being contested in the playoff round’s second legs, scheduled for Wednesday. The headline tie sees Lyon (OL) take on Fenerbahçe, with the winner claiming one of the last remaining group-stage berths just a day before the draw is held.
Every remaining place matters, because the draw pots and seeding will depend on exactly who completes the 36-club list, sources close to the competition noted.
Why does the timing matter for the draw?
Because the draw ceremony falls just one day after the final playoff results, organizers and clubs will have very little turnaround time to prepare seeding pots and travel logistics. The four outstanding qualifiers will be slotted into their respective pots based on coefficient rankings as soon as Wednesday’s results are confirmed, ensuring the full 36-team roster is ready before Thursday’s proceedings begin.
