2021/22 UEFA Champions League: all you need to know
Monday 16 August 2021
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What are the match dates? Where is the 2022 final?
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The 67th season of Europe's elite club competition, the 30th since it was renamed the UEFA Champions League, began on 22 June 2021 and runs to 28 May 2022.
When will matches take place?
Qualifying
22 June 2021: Preliminary round semi-finals
25 June 2021: Preliminary round final
6/7 & 13/14 July 2021: First qualifying round
20/21 & 27/28 July 2021: Second qualifying round
3/4 & 10 August 2021: Third qualifying round
17/18 & 24/25 August 2021: Play-offs
Group stage
14/15 September 2021: Matchday 1
28/29 September 2021: Matchday 2
19/20 October 2021: Matchday 3
2/3 November 2021: Matchday 4
23/24 November 2021: Matchday 5
7/8 December 2021: Matchday 6
Knockout phase
15/16/22/23 February & 8/9/15/16 March 2022: Round of 16
5/6 & 12/13 April 2022: Quarter-finals
26/27 April & 3/4 May 2022: Semi-finals
28 May 2022: Final
Where will the final take place?
The final will take place at the Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The distinct venue on Krestovsky Island was designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, whose vision was for a spaceship that had landed on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. It has been home to Zenit since 2017.
No more away goals rule
There has been a rule change for 2021/22: ties level after the second leg will go to extra time and a penalty shoot-out if required, irrespective of the number of away goals a team has scored.
When are the draws?
8 June 2021: Preliminary round
15 June 2021: First qualifying round
16 June 2021: Second qualifying round
19 July 2021: Third qualifying round
2 August 2021: Play-off round
26 August 2021: Group stage (Istanbul, Turkey)
13 December 2021: Round of 16
18 March 2022: Quarter-finals & Semi-finals
All draws start at 12:00 CET except the group stage draw, which begins at 18:00 CET.