[ Main | Calendar | Access list | Qualification | Seeding EL | Seeding CO ]

Seeding in the Champions League 2024/2025

UEFA European Cup Football
by Bert Kassies

Last update:

If you have any information about data at this page being incorrect, incomplete, or out-of-date, please send a message to bert@kassiesa.net. Qualified clubs are assumed to obtain a UEFA license for European football unless they lost a final appeal at the national Appeals Body.

This page shows the list of seeded and unseeded clubs for draws in the qualifying rounds and the league stage of the Champions League 2024/2025. The UEFA Club Ranking of 2024 determines the seeding of the clubs in the tables below. See Qualification 2024/2025 for a list of qualified clubs, and Access List 2024/2025 for an overview of berths per country. More detailed information may also be found in the official CL regulations (pdf or online).

This seeding list is according to the format of the 2024-27 period. All clubs eliminated in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League are transferred to the Europa League or the Conference League. For details, see the new Access List 2024/2025 and 2024-27 qualifying scheme. The 2nd and 3rd qualifying rounds, and the play-off round of the Champions League are split into two sections: one for champions and one for non-champions.

Although the regulations no longer require the use of regional groups (as used before 2009), until now UEFA still uses some kind of regionalization in the first qualifying rounds. At first the clubs are divided into seeded and unseeded clubs, and then the seeded and unseeded clubs are split into regional groups. The general approach seems to use the North/Central/South scheme, but no specific rules are known.

Until further notice Russian clubs are suspended from participation in UEFA competitions. The access list will be rebalanced as follows:

  1. The champions of Sweden (Malmö FF) and Poland (Jagiellonia Bialystok) move from CL-Q1 to CL-Q2,
  2. The cup winner of Norway (Molde FK) moves from EL-Q1 to EL-Q2,
  3. The cup winners (or runners-up) of Armenia (Ararat-Armenia), Belarus (Neman Grodno), Bosnia-Herzegovina (Zrinjski Mostar), Luxembourg (Progrès Niederkorn), Faroe Islands (HB Torshavn), and Northern Ireland (Cliftonville) move from CO-Q1 to CO-Q2,
  4. Since there are now only 15 CL-Q1 losers in CO-Q2ch, one of them gets a bye to CO-Q3ch (to be determined by a draw).

The Champions League titleholder (Real Madrid) qualified already for the CL group stage by the domestic league. The access list will be directly rebalanced according to the club ranking of champions in the qualifying stages:

  1. The champion with the best club ranking (Shakhtar Donetsk) moves from CL-PO to CL-LS,
  2. The champion with the best club ranking in CL-Q2 (Dinamo Zagreb) moves from CL-Q2 to CL-PO,
  3. The champions with the best club ranking in CL-Q1 (Ferencváros and Qarabag FK) move from CL-Q1 to CL-Q2,
  4. Since there are now only 14 CL-Q1 losers in CO-Q2ch, two of them get a bye to CO-Q3ch (to be determined by a draw).

The Europa League titleholder (Atalanta) qualified already for the CL group stage by the domestic league. The access list will be directly rebalanced according to the club ranking of champions in the qualifying stages:

  1. The club with the best club ranking (Benfica) moves from CL-Q3nc to CL-LS,
  2. The 2 clubs with the best club ranking in CL-Q2nc (Slavia Praha and FC Salzburg) move from CL-Q2nc to CL-Q3nc,
  3. The cup winners or runners-up of Denmark (Silkeborg IF), Croatia (NK Rijeka), Greece (Panathinaikos), and Israel (Maccabi Petah-Tikva) move from EL-Q1 to EL-Q2.

The Conference League titleholder (Olympiakos Piraeus) qualified already for the 2nd qualifying round of the Conference League by the domestic league. The access list will be indirectly rebalanced as follows:

Italy and Germany secured an EPS spot, that is awarded after all the rebalancing is done. For Italy N5 (Bologna) moves to CL-LS, N7 (Lazio) to EL-LS, and N8 (Fiorentina) to CO-PO. For Germany N5 (Borussia Dortmund) moves to CL-LS, N7 (1899 Hoffenheim) to EL-LS, and N8 (1.FC Heidenheim) to CO-PO.

CL-Q1: 1st Qualifying Round for Champions (28 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Slovan Bratislava        Svk  30.500             Dinamo Batumi            Geo   5.500
Ludogorets Razgrad       Bul  26.000             NK Celje                 Slo   4.500
HJK Helsinki             Fin  11.500             Hamrun Spartans          Mlt   4.500
Flora Tallinn            Est  11.000             Larne FC                 Nir   4.500
FCSB                     Rom  10.500             Dinamo Minsk             Bls   4.500
KI Klaksvik              Far  10.000             FK Panevezys             Lit   4.000
Shamrock Rovers          Irl   9.500             Ordabasy Shymkent        Kaz   4.000
Lincoln Red Imps         Gib   9.000             Vikingur Reykjavik       Isl   4.000
The New Saints           Wal   8.500             FC Struga                Mac   3.500
Pyunik Yerevan           Arm   8.000             Differdange 03           Lux   3.500
RFS Riga                 Lat   8.000             Decic Tuzi               Mon   2.000
Petrocub Hîncesti        Mol   7.000             Egnatia Rrogozhinë       Alb   1.475
FC Ballkani              Kos   6.000             UE Santa Coloma          And   1.199
FK Borac Banja Luka      Bos   5.500             AC Virtus                Sma   0.366

Before the draw the clubs of the 1st round are divided into 3 groups. See UEFA Champions League 1st qualifying round draw for more info. The draw groups were as follows:
Group 1
seeded: Slovan Bratislava, Lincoln Red Imps, The New Saints, FC Ballkani, FK Borac Banja Luka
unseeded: Hamrun Spartans, FC Struga, Decic Tuzi, Egnatia Rrogozhinë, UE Santa Coloma
Group 2
seeded: HJK Helsinki, Flora Tallinn, KI Klaksvik, Shamrock Rovers, RFS Riga
unseeded: NK Celje, Larne FC, FK Panevezys, Vikingur Reykjavik, Differdange 03
Group 3
seeded: Ludogorets Razgrad, FCSB, Pyunik Yerevan, Petrocub Hîncesti
unseeded: Dinamo Batumi, Dinamo Minsk, Ordabasy Shymkent, AC Virtus

The draw for the 2nd qualifying round is made before the results of the 1st qualifying round are known. Pairs of clubs of the 1st qualifying round are seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved. The following lower ranked teams qualified (and are seeded in the draw with the coefficient of their opponent in the 1st qualifying round): FK Panevezys beat HJK Helsinki (11.500), Dinamo Minsk beat Pyunik Yerevan (8.000), and UE Santa Coloma beat FC Ballkani (6.000).

Below it is assumed that high ranked teams of the 1st round qualify for the 2nd round. If other teams qualify some teams below may shift to a higher pot.

CL-Q2: 2nd Qualifying Round for Champions (24 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
PAOK Thessaloniki        Gre  37.000             Flora Tallinn *          Est  11.000
Maccabi Tel-Aviv         Isr  35.500             FCSB *                   Rom  10.500
Ferencváros              Hun  35.000             KI Klaksvik *            Far  10.000
Qarabag FK               Azb  33.000             Shamrock Rovers *        Irl   9.500
Slovan Bratislava *      Svk  30.500             Lincoln Red Imps *       Gib   9.000
Bodø/Glimt               Nor  28.000             The New Saints *         Wal   8.500
Ludogorets Razgrad *     Bul  26.000             Dinamo Minsk *           Bls  (8.000)
FC Midtjylland           Den  25.500             RFS Riga *               Lat   8.000
Sparta Praha             Cze  22.500             Petrocub Hîncesti *      Mol   7.000
Malmö FF                 Swe  18.500             UE Santa Coloma *        And  (6.000)
APOEL Nicosia            Cyp  14.500             FK Borac Banja Luka *    Bos   5.500
FK Panevezys *           Lit (11.500)            Jagiellonia Bialystok    Pol   5.075

Before the draw the club(-pair)s of the 2nd round are divided into groups. See UEFA Champions League 2nd qualifying round draw for more info. The draw groups were as follows:
Group 1
seeded: PAOK Thessaloniki, Ferencváros, Ludogorets Razgrad *, APOEL Nicosia
unseeded: The New Saints *, Pyunik Yerevan *, Petrocub Hîncesti *, FK Borac Banja Luka *
Group 2
seeded: Bodø/Glimt, FC Midtjylland, Sparta Praha, Malmö FF
unseeded: Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Qarabag FK, Slovan Bratislava *, HJK Helsinki *
Group 3
seeded: KI Klaksvik *, Shamrock Rovers *, RFS Riga *, FC Ballkani *
unseeded: Flora Tallinn *, FCSB *, Lincoln Red Imps *, Jagiellonia Bialystok

CL-Q2nc: 2nd Qualifying Round for Non-Champions (4 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Fenerbahçe               Tur  36.000             Partizan Belgrade        Srb  25.500
Dynamo Kyiv              Ukr  26.500             FC Lugano                Sui   8.000

The draw for the 3rd qualifying round is made before the results of the 2nd qualifying round are known. Pairs of clubs of the 2nd qualifying round are seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved.

Below it is assumed that high ranked teams of the 2nd round qualify for the 3rd round. If other teams qualify some teams below may shift to a higher pot.

CL-Q3: 3rd Qualifying Round for Champions (12 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
PAOK Thessaloniki **     Gre  37.000             Ludogorets Razgrad *     Bul  26.000
Maccabi Tel-Aviv **      Isr  35.500             FC Midtjylland **        Den  25.500
Ferencváros **           Hun  35.000             Sparta Praha **          Cze  22.500
Qarabag FK **            Azb  33.000             Malmö FF **              Swe  18.500
Slovan Bratislava *      Svk  30.500             APOEL Nicosia **         Cyp  14.500
Bodø/Glimt **            Nor  28.000             Jagiellonia Bialystok ** Pol   5.075

Before the draw the club-pairs of the 3rd round are divided into groups. See last year's UEFA Champions League 3rd qualifying round draw for more info.

CL-Q3nc: 3rd Qualifying Round for Non-Champions (8 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Glasgow Rangers          Sco  63.000             Fenerbahçe **            Tur  36.000
Slavia Praha             Cze  53.000             Union Saint-Gilloise     Bel  27.000
FC Salzburg              Aut  50.000             Dynamo Kyiv **           Ukr  26.500
Lille OSC                Fra  47.000             FC Twente Enschede       Ned  12.260

The draw for the play-off round is made before the results of the 3rd qualifying round are known. Pairs of clubs of the 3rd qualifying round are seeded by the highest ranking of the clubs involved.

Below it is assumed that high ranked teams of the 3rd round qualify for the play-off round. If other teams qualify some teams below may shift to a higher pot.

CL-PO: Play-off Round for Champions (10 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Dinamo Zagreb            Cro  50.000             Young Boys               Sui  34.500
Red Star Belgrade        Srb  40.000             Qarabag FK **            Azb  33.000
PAOK Thessaloniki **     Gre  37.000             Galatasaray              Tur  31.500
Maccabi Tel-Aviv **      Isr  35.500             Slovan Bratislava *      Svk  30.500
Ferencváros **           Hun  35.000             Bodø/Glimt **            Nor  28.000

See last year's UEFA Champions League play-off round draw for more info.

CL-POnc: Play-off Round for Non-Champions (4 clubs) 
Seeded clubs                   coef.             Unseeded clubs                 coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Glasgow Rangers *3       Sco  63.000             FC Salzburg *3           Aut  50.000
Slavia Praha *3          Cze  53.000             Lille OSC *3             Fra  47.000
The 2024-27 period has a new format for the league stage. All 36 clubs play 8 matches against different opponents in a single league. For the purpose of the draw the clubs are divided into 4 pots. The CL title-holder is placed in pot 1. The remaining places of pot 1 and the other pots are filled according to the club ranking. Each club will be drawn against two opponents from each of the 4 pots, playing one match at home and one match away against them. Clubs from the same country will not be drawn against each other in the league phase and each team plays at most against a maximum of two opponents from any other country (providing a deadlock in the draw can be avoided).

Below it is assumed that high ranked teams of the play-off round qualify for the league stage. If other teams qualify some teams below may shift to a higher pot.

CL-LS: League Stage (36 clubs) 
Pot 1                          coef.             Pot 2                          coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
Real Madrid              Esp 136.000             Bayer Leverkusen         Ger  90.000
Manchester City          Eng 148.000             Atlético Madrid          Esp  89.000
Bayern München           Ger 144.000             Atalanta                 Ita  81.000
Paris Saint-Germain      Fra 116.000             Juventus                 Ita  80.000
Liverpool                Eng 114.000             Benfica                  Por  79.000
Internazionale           Ita 101.000             Arsenal                  Eng  72.000
Borussia Dortmund        Ger  97.000             Club Brugge              Bel  64.000
RB Leipzig               Ger  97.000             Glasgow Rangers *3       Sco  63.000
FC Barcelona             Esp  91.000             Shakhtar Donetsk         Ukr  63.000

Pot 3                          coef.             Pot 4                          coef.
------------------------ --- ----------------    ------------------------ --- ----------------
AC Milan                 Ita  59.000             Ferencváros **           Hun  35.000
Feyenoord                Ned  57.000             Celtic                   Sco  32.000
Sporting CP Lisbon       Por  54.500             AS Monaco                Fra  24.000
PSV Eindhoven            Ned  54.000             Aston Villa              Eng  20.860
Slavia Praha *3          Cze  53.000             Bologna                  Ita  18.056
Dinamo Zagreb *4         Cro  50.000             Girona FC                Esp  17.897
Red Star Belgrade *4     Srb  40.000             VfB Stuttgart            Ger  17.324
PAOK Thessaloniki **     Gre  37.000             Sturm Graz               Aut  14.500
Maccabi Tel-Aviv **      Isr  35.500             Stade Brestois           Fra  13.366

The top 8 clubs of the league stage qualify directly for the round of 16, while the clubs at rank 9 to 24 go to the play-off round of the knockout stage. The clubs that finish at rank 25 to 36 are eliminated. In the knockout stage there is no country protection.

The draw for the knockout stage play-offs is made by pairs of clubs based on the ranking in the league stage. Clubs of each pair go to different sides of the schedule and can not meet again before the final. Clubs at rank 9 to 16 in the league stage are seeded in the knockout stage play-offs and play the second leg at home.

CL-KO: Knockout stage play-offs (16 clubs) 
      CL league stage 17-24                 CL league stage 9-16
      ------------------------ ---          ------------------------ ---
17/18                              vs 15/16
23/24                              vs  9/10
21/22                              vs 11/12
19/20                              vs 13/14
20/19                              vs 14/13
22/21                              vs 12/11
24/23                              vs 10/9
18/17                              vs 16/15

The draw for the round of 16 is also made by pairs of clubs based on the ranking in the league stage and the result of the knockout stage play-offs. Clubs of each pair go to different sides of the schedule and can not meet again before the final (see the knockout stage schedule below). Clubs at rank 1 to 8 in the league stage are seeded in the round of 16 and play the second leg at home.

Champions League knockout stage
Final
Semi Final 1
Quarter Final 1
CL-KO (17/18 - 15/16)
CL-LS (1/2)
CL-KO (23/24 - 9/10)
CL-LS (8/7)
Quarter Final 2
CL-KO (21/22 - 11/12)
CL-LS (5/6)
CL-KO (19/20 - 13/14)
CL-LS (4/3)
Semi Final 2
Quarter Final 3
CL-KO (20/19 - 14/13)
CL-LS (3/4)
CL-KO (22/21 - 12/11)
CL-LS (6/5)
Quarter Final 4
CL-KO (24/23 - 10/9)
CL-LS (7/8)
CL-KO (18/17 - 16/15)
CL-LS (2/1)

KEY:

*=club started in 1st qualifying round
**=club started in 2nd qualifying round
*3=club started in 3rd qualifying round
*4=club started in play-off round
CL=Champions League
EL=Europa League
CO=Conference League
LS=League Stage
KO=Knockout stage play-offs
PO=Qualifying Play-off Round
Qx=Qualifying Round

back to the UEFA European Cup Football pages