Newcastle United are back in the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. Let's just enjoy that sentence for a moment.
After an incredible season, Eddie Howe's Magpies have sealed their top-four position and can now look ahead to competing in Europe's top competition next season. They will join the likes of Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain and Serie A champions Napoli in the famous competition, with some special nights under the St James' Park lights ahead.
Now, as well as another interesting summer transfer window to look forward to, Newcastle fans can savour the mouthwatering prospect of who they will be facing in the group stages. The Premier League, along with Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga and Italy's Serie A, are guaranteed four teams in the group stage, so that means no awkward qualifying rounds for the Magpies.
Here's all you need to know about the draw and when the games will take place.
READ MORE: Who Newcastle United could face in Champions League group stages as seedings take shape
When is the 2023-24 Champions League draw?
Clubs will find out their group stage opponents on Thursday, August 31. The final qualifying play-offs take place on August 29-30, with the group stage draw taking the place the following day. It could be a busy few days, with the summer transfer window closing the next day, Friday, September 1.
Who qualifies for the Champions League group stages?
England, Germany, Italy and Spain all have four sides guaranteed in the group stages, with some teams already assured of a place. The top two sides in France and Portugal will also qualify automatically, as will the winners of leagues in Scotland (Celtic), Holland (Feyenoord), Serbia (Red Star Belgrade) and Austria (RB Salzburg). Other teams will be made up of qualifying round winners and the winner of this season's Europa League.
What are the dates for the 2023-24 Champions League group stages?
- Matchday 1: 19/20 September 2023
- Matchday 2: 3/4 October 2023
- Matchday 3: 24/25 October 2023
- Matchday 4: 7/8 November 2023
- Matchday 5: 28/29 November 2023
- Matchday 6: 12/13 December 2023
What are the dates of the 2023-24 Champions League knock-out stages?
- Round of 16: 13/14/20/21 February and 5/6/12/13 March 2024
- Quarter-finals: 9/10 and 16/17 April 2024
- Semi-finals: 30 April/1 May and 7/8 May 2024
- Final: 1 June 2024
Where will the 2024 Champions League Final be held?
The final will take place on Saturday, June 1, 2024 and will be held at Wembley Stadium in London. This will be the eighth time Wembley has held the showpiece event, a record for any stadium, and the third since it became the Champions League, hosting the 2011 and 2013 finals.
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