The 2019/20 Champions League group stage as it stands

Twenty-six teams will qualify automatically for the group stage of the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League.

The following teams go directly to the group stage: UEFA Champions League holders; UEFA Europa League winners; the top four in the Spanish, English, Italian and German divisions; France and Russia’s top two; domestic champions in Portugal, Ukraine, Belgium and Turkey.

The 2019/20 UEFA Champions League group stage as it stands

Barcelona top Europe’s top-ranked domestic league©AFP

ESP: Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid, Getafe
ENG: Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal
ITA: Juventus, Napoli, Internazionale, AC Milan
GER: Borussia Dortmund, Bayern München, Mönchengladbach, Leipzig
FRA: Paris Saint-Germain, LOSC Lille
RUS: Zenit, Krasnodar
POR: Porto
UKR: Shakhtar Donetsk
BEL: Genk
TUR: İstanbul Başakşehir

The UEFA Champions League holders and UEFA Europa League winners, as well as six teams coming through qualifying, will also participate in the group stage.

Manchester United are outside of the top four©Getty Images

• Of the sides in the 2018/19 round of 16, Ajax, Lyon, Manchester United, Roma and Schalke are not in the frame for next season at the moment.

• Fourth in Spain, Getafe would be in line to make their first appearance at any stage of the UEFA Champions League; they have never even featured in the qualifying rounds, and have been in only two UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League campaigns, the most recent in 2010/11.

• Krasnodar and İstanbul Başakşehir would also be group stage debutants; the Russian club were only founded in 2008 and have never even featured in qualifying for the competition, although have reached this season’s UEFA Europa League round of 16, where they face Valencia.

• AC Milan would return to the group stage for the first time since 2013/14, when they lost to Atlético in the round of 16.