In a unique season that will feature a fall World Cup, the full 2022-23 Champions League campaign officially kicks off in Istanbul with Thursday’s group stage draw.
Eighteen years after the iconic “Miracle of Istanbul” Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan, Atatürk Olympic Stadium will host the June 10 final. Real Madrid, the 14-time champion, enters the season as the reigning champion.
Typically, the group stage schedule stretches from September to December. However, since the 2022 World Cup will take place from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18, the Champions League group stage will be played under a compressed schedule that will see all six matchdays being played within two months.