When is UEFA Champions League qualifying draw, who could Rangers face, Champions League new format explained

Rangers are just days away from discovering the path they will face if they are to qualify for this season’s UEFA Champions League ahead of the return of the 24/25 campaign.

While Philippe Clement’s side have their focus on winning their first Scottish Premiership title since 2021 and overthrowing Old Firm rivals Celtic, a return to Europe’s elite competition would provide a much needed boost in funds and is sure to be welcomed by the Ibrox faithful.

The Light Blues have only featured in the UEFA Champions League once since 2011, when they qualified for the competition thanks to a 3-2 aggregate win over PSV Eindhoven, though the Dutch outfit had their revenge a year later as they thrashed Michael Beale’s Rangers 7-3 over two legs.

As one of the four seeded teams in the draw, Rangers will be hoping their coefficient ranking will hand them an easier draw. Lille, RB Salzburg and Slavia Prague have also been seeded for the third round qualifying stage.

Champions League new format explained for 24/25

Should Rangers navigate the qualifying stage, they will enter a brand new UEFA Champions League new format for the 24/25 campaign. In previous years, 32 teams would be placed into four team groups, with each side facing each other home and away. The top two sides from each group would then qualify for the last 16 stage of the competition. However, this format has now been changed.

The new UEFA Champions League format will see 36 clubs participate in a ‘league phase’. Competing sides will no longer play three teams home and away in a group and will instead take on eight different sides with four home games and four away games. In order to determine fixtures, each teams will be placed into four seeding pots, with each team then drawn to play two opponents from each of these pots. They will play one match against a team from each pot at home, and one away.

When do Rangers play their UEFA Champions qualifiers

With Ibrox unavailable, the Gers will play their home leg of the UEFA Champions League qualifier at Hampden Park, Glasgow. The games will played August 6/7 with the second leg played on August 23/14

When is UEFA Champions League third round qualifying draw

Similar to recent UEFA Champions League campaign, the third round of qualifying is where Rangers will enter the draw and discover their opponents. Set to take place at The House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, the UEFA Champions League third round qualifying draw with take place on Monday 22 July 2024 at 11am UK time. You can watch the draw live here.

Who could Rangers face in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers

The Gers will face one of six sides over two legs. Former qualifying opponent Union Saint-Gilloise of the Belgian Pro League and FC Twente of the Dutch Eredivisie could face Rangers having already qualified. They could also face the winner of Lugano and Fenerbahce, or Dynamo Kyiv or Partizan, with those sides still to play their second qualifying matches.