Newcastle United set to learn Champions League fate as Bayern Munich, Real Madrid & AC Milan pots confirmed

Excitement is building with Newcastle United just days away from learning which three teams they’ll face in the Champions League group stage.

Not since 2003 - the days of Sir Bobby Robson and Alan Shearer - have the Magpies qualified for Europe’s most elite club competition. If that hasn’t sunk in for supporters yet, then it very shortly will.

NewcastleWorld takes you through everything you need to know in regards to the draw:

When is the Champions League group stage draw?

The draw for the Champions League group stage - involving 32 clubs - takes place in Monaco on Thursday, August 31 at 5pm. The draw will be streamed live on Uefa’s website and YouTube channel, while TNT Sport is also broadcasting the proceedings.

How does the Champions League group stage draw work?

The 32 clubs involved will be split into eight groups of four, labelled Group A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. Furthermore, the teams will be split into four seeding pots.

Pot 1 will consist of the holders, the Europa League winners and the champions of the six highest-ranked nations, including Premier League champions Manchester City. Pots 2 to 4 will be determined by the club coefficient rankings. No team can play a side from their own country until the knockout stages.

Who could Newcastle United face?

Twenty-six teams qualify automatically for the group stage, with the final six berths being decided via the play-offs. Man City have qualified as the European and Premier League champions, while Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle finished inside the EPL top four.

Since 2019, the top four teams in the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A have all qualified automatically for the Champions League group stage. England currently holds the highest UEFA coefficient ranking with Spain second, Italy third and Germany fourth.

Pot 1

Manchester City (Champions League holders)

Sevilla (Europa League holders)

Barcelona (ESP)

Bayern Munich (GER)

Napoli (ITA)

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

Benfica (POR)

Feyenoord (NED)

Pot 2

Real Madrid (SPA)

Manchester United (ENG)

Inter (ITA)

Borussia Dortmund (GER)

Arsenal (ENG)

Atletico Madrid (SPA)

RB Leipzig (GER)

Porto (POR)

Pot 3

Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

RB Salzburg (AUT)

AC Milan (ITA)

Lazio (ITA)

Red Star Belgrade (SRB)

+ 1 winner from League path

Pot 3 or 4

Real Sociedad (SPA)

Celtic (SCO)

+ 2 winners from Champions path

+ 1 winner from League path

Pot 4

Newcastle United (ENG)

Union Berlin (GER)

RC Lens (FRA)

+ 2 winners from Champions path

Champions path matches to be decided

Young Boys v Maccabi Haifa (Agg: 0-0)

AEK Athens v Antwerp (Agg: 0-1)

FC Copenhagen v Raków Częstochowa (Agg: 1-0)

Galatasaray v Molde (Agg: 3-2)

League path games to be decided

PSV v Rangers (Agg 2-2)

Panathinaikos v Braga (Agg:1-2)

The second leg of those final qualifying ties take place on Tuesday, August 29 and Wednesday, August 30.

When is Newcastle United’s first Champions League group game?

Matchday one of the Champions League group stage gets underway on September 19 and 20.

Matchday two: October 3 and 4.

Matchday three: October 24 and 25.

Matchday 4: November 7 and 8.

Matchday five: November 28 and 29.

Matchday six: December 12 and 13.

If Newcastle gain qualification out of the group, the knockout stages begin in February. The final is held at Wembley.