A fresh season of the UEFA Champions League is nearing, with newcomers set to join football powerhouses like Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid following an exhilarating qualification process.
On Tuesday, three teams successfully secured their places in the league phase, each experiencing the competition for the first time. Notably, Bodo/Glimt triumphed over Sturm Graz with a dominating 6-2 aggregate, highlighted by a 5-0 home game victory. Other remarkable qualifications included Pafos, overcoming Crvena Zvezda after a dramatic last-minute goal from Jaja, and Kairat, who eliminated Celtic via penalties post a 0-0 tie.
With four additional spots to fill in on Wednesday, the excitement continues as the final round of qualifications concludes. No team boasts more than a two-goal lead heading into this decisive round, with due tension around matches like Basel against Copenhagen and Benfica seeking a breakthrough against Fenerbahce.
The 38 participants for the league phase will find out their journey to the Puskas Arena in Budapest during the draw on Thursday.
How to Stream the Champions League Draw
- Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
- Time: 12 p.m. ET
- Location: Grimaldi Forum, Monaco
- Stream Using: Paramount+
Champions League Qualified Teams
- England: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur
- Italy: Napoli, Inter, Atalanta, Juventus
- Spain: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Club, Villarreal
- Germany: Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund
- France: Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Monaco
- Netherlands: PSV, Ajax
- Portugal: Sporting Lisbon
- Turkiye: Galatasaray
- Czechia: Slavia Praha
- Greece: Olympiacos
- Kazakhstan: Kairat
- Norway: Bodo/Glimt
- Cyprus: Pafos
Play-off Round Final Scores
- Kairat 0, Celtic 0 (teams tied 0-0 on aggregate; Kairat advances 3-2 on penalties)
- Pafos 1, Crvena Zvezda 1 (Pafos wins 3-2 on aggregate)
- Sturm Graz 2, Bodo/Glimt 1 (Bodo/Glimt wins 6-2 in aggregate)
Upcoming Matches for Wednesday’s Play-off Round
- Qarabag vs. Ferencvaros at 12:45 p.m. (Qarabag leads 3-1)
- Benfica vs. Fenerbahce at 3 p.m. (teams tied 0-0)
- Copenhagen vs. Basel at 3 p.m. (teams tied 1-1)
- Club Brugge vs. Rangers at 3 p.m. (Club Brugge leads 3-1)
