2016/17 Champions League: all you need to know
Thursday, February 25, 2016
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Who will be in it? When are the draws and matches? Where is the final?
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The 2016/17 UEFA Champions League kicks off on 28 June 2016 and comes to a conclusion when the final takes place at the National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff on 3 June 2017.
Which teams will be in it?
Twenty-two teams qualify automatically:
- UEFA Champions League holders*
- Top three in Spain, England and Germany
- Top two in Italy, Portugal and France
- Champions of Russia, Ukraine, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Turkey
*If the holders finished their domestic campaign in a league position that means they would have qualified for the group stage via that method anyway, then the UEFA Europa League winners take a group stage slot.
The remaining ten teams are determined through qualifying.
- Five come from the League Route that involves the top 15 national associations according to the UEFA coefficient rankings.
- The other half are decided by the Champions Route, encompassing the champions of all nations ranked below the top 12 (for the top 12, qualification is automatic).
Check out the access list for more information.
When do matches take place?
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Provisional draw dates
25/08/2016: group stage
12/12/2016: round of 16
17/03/2017: quarter-finals
21/04/2017: semi-finals
Final destination: Cardiff
The venue for the 2017 UEFA Champions League final, scheduled for Saturday 3 June, is the 74,500-seater Millennium Stadium. It was confirmed by the UEFA Executive Committee on 30 June 2015.