Arsenal’s pot and full list of every confirmed team for 2023/24 Champions League group stage

Arsenal’s pot and full list of every confirmed team for 2023/24 Champions League group stage

Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team will have to wait longer to find out their opponents in the group stage of the 2023/24 Champions League. 

However, with the conclusion of many domestic leagues, the overall picture is becoming clearer. While this season’s final will be played between Manchester City and Internazionale on Saturday night, the journey to join these clubs in the competition next year will begin with the preliminary round semi-finals on June 27, followed by the first qualifying round starting on July 11. 

After three more qualification rounds, the draw for the group stage will be held in Istanbul, Turkey on Thursday, August 31. Arsenal has not participated in Europe’s top club competition since 2017, so everyone associated with the club is eagerly anticipating the ceremony.

When Arsenal last participated in the Champions League, their group consisted of Paris Saint-Germain, Ludogorets, and Basel. Currently, it appears that Mikel Arteta’s team might face PSG again in the group stage. 

Additionally, there is a possibility of reunions with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, as all three teams are in Pot 1.

 Now, let’s examine the other potential opponents that Arsenal could encounter in the group stage.

Champions League pots

As per the usual practice, the teams qualifying for the Champions League group stage will be divided into four pots. Pot 1 will consist of the winners of the 2022/23 Champions League and Europa League, along with the champions of the top leagues in England, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and Portugal.

If Manchester City secures victory in both the league and the European competition on Saturday night, Internazionale will remain in Pot 2, while Feyenoord, the Eredivisie champions, will be placed in Pot 1. However, if Inter wins the final, they will drop to Pot 3.

The teams in Pots 2, 3, and 4 are determined based on their UEFA coefficient. Currently, 26 teams have already qualified for the upcoming season’s group stage, with the remaining six spots set to be confirmed by the end of August after the final play-off round concludes.

So which pot will Arsenal be in?

Despite having a coefficient of 76.000, Arsenal will be placed in Pot 2 for the group stage draw. The coefficient is calculated based on a club’s performance in European competitions over the past five years. Arsenal’s relatively low ranking is primarily due to their underwhelming performances in the Europa League.

However, the reason Arsenal will be in Pot 2 instead of Pot 3 is solely because other prominent clubs such as Chelsea, Liverpool, Juventus, AS Roma, Ajax, Villarreal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Eintracht Frankfurt have not qualified for the Champions League. This absence of these teams has allowed Arsenal to secure a higher pot placement.

Next season’s Champions League group stage with the confirmed teams:

Pot 1: Sevilla, Manchester City, Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica

Pot 1 or 2: Internazionale

Pot 1 or 3: Feyenoord

Pot 2: Real Madrid, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, Porto, Arsenal

Pot 2 or 3: Shakhtar Donetsk

Pot 3: Red Bull Salzburg, AC Milan, Lazio, Red Star Belgrade

Pot 3 or 4: Real Sociedad, Celtic, Newcastle United

Pot 4: Union Berlin, Lens

Who can Arsenal get?

According to UEFA regulations, Arsenal cannot be drawn against teams from the same association in the group stage. This means they cannot be paired with Manchester City, Manchester United, or Newcastle United.

From Pot 1, the potential opponents for Arsenal will be Sevilla, Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, and either Internazionale or Feyenoord, depending on the outcome of the final on Saturday night.

In Pot 3, Arsenal could face Red Bull Salzburg, AC Milan, Lazio, or Red Star Belgrade. As of now, Union Berlin and Lens are the only confirmed clubs in Pot 4, and the identity of the remaining six teams will be revealed in August.

Arsenal’s pot and full list of every confirmed team for 2023/24 Champions League group stage