Arsenal will play Kazakhstani club FC Okzhetpes at the semi-final stage in Round 1 of this season’s UEFA Champions League.
The draw for the new Round 1 stage of the competition took place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland this afternoon and was broadcast live on UEFA’s official website and on their YouTube channel. The draw was split into two sections with Arsenal being in the seeded first pot of the ‘League Path’ side of the draw where 16 teams in four groups will contest semi-final and final fixtures with the mini-tournament winners advancing to Round 2.
Arsenal will take on FC Okzhetpes in a one-off semi final tie on 18 August and they will be classed as the home team. Should they win that game, The Gunners will face either PSV Eindhoven or FC Lokomotiv Moscow in the final on 21 August. The mini-tournament ties will be played at one venue with full details to be announced in due course.
Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal side were the third-highest ranked side in the ‘League Path’ side of the draw behind Brøndby and Zürich. Their position was determined by UEFA coefficient rankings.
Arsenal won the UEFA Women’s Cup back in 2007 after they beat Swedish club Umeå over two legs in the final. No English club has ever won the UEFA Women’s Champions League since the competition’s rebrand in 2009.
The 2020/2021 Barclays FA Women’s Super League runners-up Manchester City will join this season’s competition in Round 2 while champions Chelsea will come in at the group stage in Round 3.
About The Author
