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The draw has been made for the first group stage of the UEFA Women’s Champions League which starts on 5 and 6 October.
The four sections feature huge clashes, with starters Barcelona against former winners Arsenal while there is another encounter between two-time champions Wolfsburg and 2021 finalists Chelsea. The top two teams from each group enter the knockout stage in the spring.
Prize draw: as it happened
Full draw for the group stage
group A: Chelsea (ANG), Wolfsburg (GER), Juventus (ITA), Servette (SUI)
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Breidablik (ISL), Real Madrid (ESP), WFC Kharkiv (UKR)
Group C: Barcelona (ESP, start), Arsenal (ENG), Hoffenheim (GER), HB Køge (DEN)
Group D: Bayern Munich (GER), Lyon (FRA), Häcken (SWE), Benfica (POR)
DAZN / YouTube: watch all matches
- The list of matches will be confirmed shortly. All matches will start at 6.30pm / 6.45pm CET or 8.45pm / 9.00pm CET.
Group stage schedule
Day 1: October 5/6
Day 2: October 13/14
Day 3: 9/10 November
Day 4: November 17/18
Day 5: December 8/9
Day 6: December 15/16
Highlights
group A
- Chelsea face Wolfsburg for the fifth time in seven seasons. Wolfsburg knocked out Chelsea in the 2015/16 round of 16, 2016/17 final 32 and 2017/18 semi-finals, but the Blues – having signed Pernille Harder from the German side – advanced to the quarter-finals on last season both legs played in Budapest.
- Juventus have added motivation to reach this season’s final, with May’s centerpiece taking place in their men’s stadium.
- Servette never did the last 16 in any format.
Group B
- Paris, double finalist, beat former quarter-finalists Breidablik 7-1 overall in the 2019/20 round of 16.
- Breidablik are the first Icelandic club to reach a major group stage at home and away from UEFA.
- Real Madrid reached the group stage on their debut with a victory over Manchester City.
- Kharkiv is in the bottom 16 for the first time in any format.
Group C
- Barcelona, in their first European game, lost 3-0 at home and 4-0 away to Arsenal in the 2012/13 round of 16.
- Hoffenheim and HB Køge are both making their European debuts.
Group D
- Lyon’s five-year reign as champion ended last season; they have a record of seven titles in total.
- Lyon beat Bayern 2-1 in a one-off quarter-final at Bilbao in August 2020.
- Bayern reached the semi-finals last season; Häcken (formerly Gothenburg) is also a former quarterfinalist.
- Benfica are the first Portuguese team to be among the last 16 in the UEFA women’s club competition.
How does the group stage work?
Teams from each group meet at home and away, with the same teams meeting on Match Days 1 and 5, or Match Days 2 and 6, or Match Days 3 and 4. The best two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals, drawn on December 20 and played in March.
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