British sides await their fate in European draws

The Champions League and Europa League’s opening qualifying rounds will be drawn today as British teams get set to learn their first opponents.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham have all earned automatic spots into the Champions League group stage. Clubs cannot draw teams from the same country and will also be separated into seeds for the first round, decided by Uefa’s coefficient rankings established at the start of the season.

There are three qualifying rounds and then a final playoff round before the group stage, with Scottish champions Celtic in the second qualifying round. Liverpool, fourth in the Premier League last season, go straight into the play-off round.

Arsenal’s fifth-place finish meant they missed out on the Champions League and instead earned an automatic place in the Europa League group stage. Everton will start the tournament in the third qualifying round as they bid to earn a play-off and then a place in the group stage.

The opening leg of the Champions League’s first qualifying rounds will be played on June 27 and 28, with the second legs coming a week later on July 4 and 5.

The Europa League’s first round ties will take place on June 29 and July 6.