The UEFA Champions League is back! The group stage of the 2023-24 campaign kicks off Tuesday, with 32 teams vying to win club soccer's ultimate prize.

Each club plays two games (home and away) against the other three teams in their group, with match days scheduled into mid-December. The top two in each group advances to the Round of 16 (February/March), with the final scheduled for June 1 at London's Wembley Stadium.

Reigning champion Manchester City is the odds-on favorite – having also won back-to-back Premier League titles – and their championship defense begins Tuesday at home against Red Star Belgrade.

UEFA Champions League schedule, how to watch Tuesday

All times Eastern, home team listed first

  • AC Milan vs. Newcastle United – 12:45 p.m., Paramount+, UniMás
  • Young Boys vs. RB Leipzig – 12:45 p.m., Paramount+
  • Paris Saint-Germain vs. Borussia Dortmund – 3 p.m., Univision, Paramount+
  • Barcelona vs. Antwerp – 3 p.m., Paramount+
  • Feyenoord vs. Celtic – 3 p.m., Paramount+
  • Lazio vs. Atletico Madrid – 3 p.m., CBS Sports Network, Paramount+
  • Manchester City vs. Red Star Belgrade – 3 p.m., Paramount+
  • Shakhtar Donetsk vs. FC Porto – 3 p.m., Paramount+

AC Milan's Christian Pulisic, USMNT players in Champions League

This season's Champions League features 11 American players, including some of the biggest USMNT stars. Christian Pulisic, one of only two Americans to ever win the tournament, moved to AC Milan from Chelsea this summer and was joined by fellow U.S. World Cup veteran Yunus Musah.

Here's all the American players on rosters in this year's Champions League:

  • Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah – AC Milan
  • Diego Kochen – Barcelona
  • Gio Reyna – Borussia Dortmund
  • Cameron Carter-Vickers – Celtic
  • Zack Steffen – Manchester City
  • Sergiño Dest, Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman – PSV
  • Sam Vines – Royal Antwerp
  • Brenden Aaronson – Union Berlin

2023-24 UEFA Champions League group stage draw

The draw for the group stage was held on Aug. 31 in Monaco.

  • Group A: Bayern Munich (Germany), Manchester United (England), Copenhagen (Denmark), Galatasaray (Turkey)
  • Group B: Sevilla (Spain), Arsenal (England), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), Lens (France)
  • Group C: Napoli (Italy), Real Madrid (Spain), Braga (Portugal), Union Berlin (Germany)
  • Group D: Benfica (Portugal), Inter Milan (Italy), Salzburg (Austria), Real Sociedad (Spain)
  • Group E: Feyenoord (Netherlands), Atlético Madrid (Spain), Lazio (Italy), Celtic (Scotland)
  • Group F: Paris Saint-Germain (France), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), AC Milan (Italy), Newcastle (England)
  • Group G: Manchester City (England), Leipzig (Germany), Red Star Belgrade (Serbia), Young Boys (Switzerland)
  • Group H: Barcelona (Spain), Porto (Portugal), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), Royal Antwerp (Belgium).

AC Milan hosts Newcastle in Serie A vs. Premier League opener

Last season’s semifinalist Milan is hurting psychologically following a 5-1 loss to city rival Inter Milan in the Milan derby on Saturday. Recently retired Rossoneri standout Zlatan Ibrahimovic showed up at the team’s Milanello training center on Monday to raise the team’s spirits. Midfielder Sandro Tonali recently transferred from Milan to Newcastle and will now face his former club.

– Associated Press

UEFA Champions League winners list by year

The Champions League was rebranded as such in 1992, formerly known as the European Cup from 1955.

  • 2023: Manchester City (England)
  • 2022: Real Madrid (Spain)
  • 2021: Chelsea (England)
  • 2020: Bayern Munich (Germany)
  • 2019: Liverpool (England)
  • 2018: Real Madrid
  • 2017: Real Madrid
  • 2016: Real Madrid
  • 2015: Barcelona (Spain)
  • 2014: Real Madrid
  • 2013: Bayern Munich
  • 2012: Chelsea
  • 2011: Barcelona
  • 2010: Inter Milan (Italy)

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