New Champions League season
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
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The road to the second final in three years at Wembley Stadium began on Monday 25 June when the draw was made for the first and second qualifying rounds in Nyon, involving 37 of the 73 entrants.
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The road to the second UEFA Champions League final in three years at Wembley Stadium began on Monday 25 June when the draw was made for the first and second qualifying rounds in Nyon.
Six teams were in the initial stage, played in the first two weeks of July, and 31 other sides came in for the second qualifying round including FC Basel 1893, who made the round of 16 last season. The third qualifying round and play-offs followed as 17 further clubs come into contention for ten available places in the group stage alongside the 22 automatic entrants.
Among that number were all four English contenders: Manchester City FC, Manchester United FC, Arsenal FC and holders Chelsea FC. It will be at Wembley that the tournament concludes on Saturday 25 May 2013, making a swift return to the 2011 final venue to mark the 150th anniversary of the English Football Association. For the first time the semi-final draw will be held after the quarter-finals rather than together with the draw for the last eight.
| Draw schedule | ||
| Time, date | Location | Draw details |
| 12.00CET, 25/06/12 | Nyon | First and second qualifying rounds |
| 12.00CET, 20/07/12 | Nyon | Third qualifying round |
| 12.00CET, 10/08/12 | Nyon | Play-offs |
| 18.00CET, 30/08/12 | Monaco | Group stage |
| 11.30CET, 20/12/12 | Nyon | Round of 16 |
| 12.00CET, 15/03/13 | Nyon | Quarter-finals |
| tbc, 12/04/13 | Nyon | Semi-finals |
| Match calendar | |
| Stage | Dates |
| First qualifying round, 1st leg | 03-04/07/12 |
| First qualifying round, 2nd leg | 10-11/07/12 |
| Second qualifying round, 1st leg | 17-18/07/12 |
| Second qualifying round, 2nd leg | 24-25/07/12 |
| Third qualifying round, 1st leg | 31/07-01/08/12 |
| Third qualifying round, 2nd leg | 07/08/08/12 |
| Play-off, 1st leg | 21-22/08/12 |
| Play-off, 2nd leg | 28-29/08/12 |
| Group stage, Matchday 1 | 18-19/09/12 |
| Group stage, Matchday 2 | 02-03/10/12 |
| Group stage, Matchday 3 | 23-24/10/12 |
| Group stage, Matchday 4 | 06-07/11/12 |
| Group stage, Matchday 5 | 20-21/11/12 |
| Group stage, Matchday 6 | 04-05/12/12 |
| Round of 16, 1st leg | 12-13/02/13 & 19-20/02/13 |
| Round of 16, 2nd leg | 05-06/03/13 & 12-13/03/13 |
| Quarter-finals, 1st leg | 02-03/04/13 |
| Quarter-finals, 2nd leg | 09-10/04/13 |
| Semi-finals, 1st leg | 23-24/04/13 |
| Semi-finals, 2nd leg | 30/04-01/05/13 |
| Final (Wembley Stadium) | 25/05/13 |