2022/23 UEFA Youth League dates, format

The UEFA Youth League returns for its ninth edition in 2022/23, with 64 teams competing for the title won for the first time in 2021/22 by Benfica.

The contenders are split into two paths in the autumn, the UEFA Champions League path and the domestic champions path, both of which will be drawn in August and begin in September. They come together for the knockout phase, running from the play-offs on 7 and 8 February to the four-team final tournament in Nyon between 21 and 24 April. The full list of contenders in both paths will be confirmed after the UEFA Champions League play-offs end on 24 August.

Format

The 32 clubs that compete in the UEFA Champions League path will be those that take part in the group stage of the senior competition. They are joined by the 32 domestic youth champions from the highest-ranked entering associations whose senior team did not qualify for the Champions League group stage – these clubs take part in the domestic champions path. If the senior team of a domestic youth champion did qualify for the Champions League group stage, the vacant place is filled by the domestic youth champion of the next-ranked entering association.

The groups in the Champions League path will be identical to those for the senior competition. The group winners will progress directly to the round of 16, with the runners-up going into the play-offs.

The domestic champions path teams compete in two rounds of two-legged knockout ties. The eventual eight second-round winners then progress to the play-offs.

The knockout phase consists of one-off ties starting with the play-offs, where the eight domestic champions path winners will each be at home against one of the eight Champions League path group runners-up.

The eight play-off winners then join the eight Champions League path group winners in the round of 16. The semi-finals and final are, as always, played at Colovray Stadium in UEFA's Swiss home town of Nyon.

Draw and match dates

UEFA Champions League path: group stage
Matchday 1: 6/7 September
Matchday 2: 13/14 September
Matchday 3: 4/5 October
Matchday 4: 11/12 October
Matchday 5: 25/26 October
Matchday 6: 1/2 November

Domestic champions path
Draw: 31 August, Nyon
Round 1 first leg: 14 September
Round 1 second leg: 5 October
Round 2 first leg: 26 October
Round 2 second leg: 2 November

Knockout phase
Play-off draw: 8 November, Nyon
Play-offs: 7/8 February
Knockout draw (round of 16 onwards): 13 February, Nyon
Round of 16: 28 February/1 March
Quarter-finals: 14/15 March
Semi-finals: 21 April, Colovray Stadium, Nyon
Final: 24 April, Colovray Stadium, Nyon