UEFA name Newcastle United when making 2023-24 Champions League announcement

Newcastle currently sit third in the Premier League table and able to secure Champions Leaguefootball for next season with a result against Leicester City at St James’ Park on Monday evening (8pm kick-off). It has been 20 years since The Magpies last played in the competition.

But UEFA have teased Newcastle United’s Champions League return with a provisional list of 24 teams who are currently set to enter the group stage of next season’s competition. The remaining eight places will be filled by clubs entering via the qualifying or Europa League winners route.

The Champions League official Twitter account even named Newcastle explicitly with a post stating: “Newcastle, Feyenoord, Union Berlin... Find out who is in next season’s Champions League group stage as it stands.”

The final teams are subject to change with the majority of leagues still with games to play this season.

Following a rule change several seasons ago, the top four clubs from the top four UEFA nations automatically qualify for the Champions League group stage - quite different from the last time Newcastle were in the competition where only the top two sides were guaranteed.

As it stands, Manchester City and Arsenal are guaranteed Champions League football for next season with Newcastle and Manchester United likely to follow.

From Spain, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad are the four teams set to qualify with the first three already guaranteed a place.

In Italy, Napoli will enter in pot one as Serie A champions while the remaining places are yet to be decided. Juventus, Lazio and Champions League finalists Inter Milan make up the current top four.

Germany are also guaranteed four group stage positions, three of which have already been confirmed by Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig with Union Berlin completing the top four as it stands.

Paris Saint-Germain and Lens are the two French sides currently qualifying. PSG are already guaranteed a spot.

Champions League regulars Benfica and Porto are the two Portuguese sides in the competition. Feyenoord will enter the group stage as the entry from the Netherlands.

Red Bull Salzburg, Celtic and Red Star Belgrade complete the 24 teams as league champions of Austria, Scotland and Serbia respectively.

ENG (4): Man City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Man United

ESP (4): Barcelona, Atlético, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad

ITA (4): Napoli, Juventus, Lazio, Inter

GER (4): Dortmund, Bayern, Leipzig, Union Berlin

FRA (2): Paris, Lens

POR (2): Benfica, Porto

NED (1): Feyenoord

AUT (1): Salzburg

SCO (1): Celtic

SRB (1): Crvena zvezda

2023-24 Champions League schedule

Should Newcastle qualify for next season’s Champions League, they will begin their European campaign on September, 19 or 20 depending on the draw.

The group stage will conclude on the week of December 12, 2023 with the round of 16 starting on the week of February 13, 2024.

The final will take place on June 1, 2024 at Wembley Stadium.

Full details below...

Matchday 1: 19/20 September 2023

Matchday 2: 3/4 October 2023

Matchday 3: 24/25 October 2023

Matchday 4: 7/8 November 2023

Matchday 5: 28/29 November 2023

Matchday 6: 12/13 December 2023

Round of 16: 13/14/20/21 February and 5/6/12/13 March 2024

Quarter-finals: 9/10 and 16/17 April 2024

Semi-finals: 30 April/1 May and 7/8 May 2024

Final: 1 June 2024 (Wembley Stadium, London)