Champions League and Europa League Explained

The UEFA Champions League and Europa League begin their group stages this week, as the competitions will commence on Tuesday and Wednesday for the Champions League and Thursday for the Europa League.

Despite their being no playoffs for soccer leagues around Europe, there is however two prestigious Continental Cup competitions that go between July and May. During those months, the best teams from each European league (Excluding Liechtenstein) will compete for the UEFA Champions League Title or the Europa League Title.

Think about it like College Basketball, the comparison is quite similar. The Champions League is equivalent to March Madness, while on a similar scale, the Europa League is what the NIT is in college basketball.

A total of 78 teams started in the Champions League and in the Europa League the number is raised to 158 plus a few more that drop into the Europa League at certain points of the tournament.

Teams qualify for the Champions League based on their finish in the standings. The better the league is, the more spots that are allocated  to the country. In contrast, Europa League qualifiers will qualify from winning the league cups and also from top teams around Europe that don't get to take part in the Champions League.

The one small exception is the winner of the Europa League, gets to take part in the Champions League the next year.

Here is the groups for the Champions League:

Group A

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		PSG	RMA	SHA	MFF
1	Paris Saint-Germain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	21 Oct	8 Dec	15 Sep
2	Real Madrid	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			3 Nov	—	15 Sep	8 Dec
3	Shakhtar Donetsk	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Transfer to Europa League		30 Sep	25 Nov	—	3 Nov
4	Malmö FF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			25 Nov	30 Sep	21 Oct	—

First match(es) will be played on 15 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group B

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		PSV	MUN	CSK	WOL
1	PSV Eindhoven	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	15 Sep	8 Dec	3 Nov
2	Manchester United	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			25 Nov	—	3 Nov	30 Sep
3	CSKA Moscow	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Transfer to Europa League		30 Sep	21 Oct	—	25 Nov
4	Wolfsburg	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			21 Oct	8 Dec	15 Sep	—

First match(es) will be played on 15 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group C

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		BEN	ATM	GAL	AST
1	Benfica	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	8 Dec	3 Nov	15 Sep
2	Atlético Madrid	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			30 Sep	—	25 Nov	21 Oct
3	Galatasaray	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Transfer to Europa League		21 Oct	15 Sep	—	8 Dec
4	Astana	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			25 Nov	3 Nov	30 Sep	—

First match(es) will be played on 15 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group D

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		JUV	MCI	SEV	MGL
1	Juventus	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	25 Nov	30 Sep	21 Oct
2	Manchester City	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			15 Sep	—	21 Oct	8 Dec
3	Sevilla	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Transfer to Europa League		8 Dec	3 Nov	—	15 Sep
4	Borussia Mönchengladbach	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			3 Nov	30 Sep	25 Nov	—

First match(es) will be played on 15 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group E

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		BAR	LEV	ROM	BAT
1	Barcelona	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	29 Sep	24 Nov	4 Nov
2	Bayer Leverkusen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			9 Dec	—	20 Oct	16 Sep
3	Roma	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Transfer to Europa League		16 Sep	4 Nov	—	9 Dec
4	BATE Borisov	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			20 Oct	24 Nov	29 Sep	—

First match(es) will be played on 16 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group F

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		BAY	ARS	OLY	DIN
1	Bayern Munich	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	4 Nov	24 Nov	29 Sep
2	Arsenal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			20 Oct	—	29 Sep	24 Nov
3	Olympiacos	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Transfer to Europa League		16 Sep	9 Dec	—	4 Nov
4	Dinamo Zagreb	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			9 Dec	16 Sep	20 Oct	—

First match(es) will be played on 16 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group G

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		CHE	POR	DYK	MTA
1	Chelsea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	9 Dec	4 Nov	16 Sep
2	Porto	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			29 Sep	—	24 Nov	20 Oct
3	Dynamo Kyiv	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Transfer to Europa League		20 Oct	16 Sep	—	9 Dec
4	Maccabi Tel Aviv	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			24 Nov	4 Nov	29 Sep	—

First match(es) will be played on 16 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group H

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		ZEN	VAL	LYO	GNT
1	Zenit Saint Petersburg	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	24 Nov	20 Oct	29 Sep
2	Valencia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			16 Sep	—	9 Dec	20 Oct
3	Lyon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Transfer to Europa League		4 Nov	29 Sep	—	24 Nov
4	Gent	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			9 Dec	4 Nov	16 Sep	—

Top two teams from the groups will advance to the knockout stage where there will be a two legged series until the Final which is just one game. In the group stage, teams will play each team twice for a total of 6 games. The third place team drops down to the Europa League knockout stage.

Here are the groups for the Europa League:

Group A[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		AJX	CEL	FEN	MOL
1	Ajax	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	17 Sep	5 Nov	10 Dec
2	Celtic	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			26 Nov	—	1 Oct	5 Nov
3	Fenerbahçe	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			22 Oct	10 Dec	—	17 Sep
4	Molde	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			1 Oct	22 Oct	26 Nov	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group B[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		RUB	LIV	BOR	SIO
1	Rubin Kazan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	5 Nov	1 Oct	26 Nov
2	Liverpool	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			22 Oct	—	26 Nov	1 Oct
3	Bordeaux	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			10 Dec	17 Sep	—	22 Oct
4	Sion	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			17 Sep	10 Dec	5 Nov	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group C[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		DOR	PAO	KRA	GAB
1	Borussia Dortmund	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	10 Dec	17 Sep	5 Nov
2	PAOK	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			1 Oct	—	22 Oct	26 Nov
3	Krasnodar	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			26 Nov	5 Nov	—	1 Oct
4	Gabala	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			22 Oct	17 Sep	10 Dec	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group D[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		NAP	CLU	LEG	MID
1	Napoli	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	17 Sep	10 Dec	5 Nov
2	Club Brugge	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			26 Nov	—	5 Nov	1 Oct
3	Legia Warsaw	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			1 Oct	22 Oct	—	26 Nov
4	Midtjylland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			22 Oct	10 Dec	17 Sep	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group E[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		VIL	VPL	RWI	DMI
1	Villarreal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	1 Oct	26 Nov	22 Oct
2	Viktoria Plzeň	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			10 Dec	—	5 Nov	17 Sep
3	Rapid Wien	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			17 Sep	22 Oct	—	10 Dec
4	Dinamo Minsk	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			5 Nov	26 Nov	1 Oct	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group F[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		MAR	BRA	SLO	GRO
1	Marseille	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	5 Nov	1 Oct	26 Nov
2	Braga	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			22 Oct	—	26 Nov	1 Oct
3	Slovan Liberec	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			10 Dec	17 Sep	—	22 Oct
4	Groningen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			17 Sep	10 Dec	5 Nov	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group G[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		DNI	LAZ	STE	ROS
1	Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	17 Sep	22 Oct	10 Dec
2	Lazio	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			26 Nov	—	1 Oct	22 Oct
3	Saint-Étienne	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			5 Nov	10 Dec	—	17 Sep
4	Rosenborg	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			1 Oct	5 Nov	26 Nov	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group H[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		SCP	BES	LOK	SKE
1	Sporting CP	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	10 Dec	17 Sep	22 Oct
2	Beşiktaş	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			1 Oct	—	5 Nov	26 Nov
3	Lokomotiv Moscow	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			26 Nov	22 Oct	—	1 Oct
4	Skënderbeu Korçë	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			5 Nov	17 Sep	10 Dec	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group I[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		BAS	FIO	LPO	BEL
1	Basel	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	26 Nov	1 Oct	22 Oct
2	Fiorentina	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			17 Sep	—	22 Oct	10 Dec
3	Lech Poznań	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			10 Dec	5 Nov	—	17 Sep
4	Belenenses	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			5 Nov	1 Oct	26 Nov	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group J[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		TOT	AND	MON	QAR
1	Tottenham Hotspur	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	5 Nov	10 Dec	17 Sep
2	Anderlecht	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			22 Oct	—	17 Sep	10 Dec
3	Monaco	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			1 Oct	26 Nov	—	22 Oct
4	Qarabağ	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			26 Nov	1 Oct	5 Nov	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group K[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		S04	APO	SPA	AST
1	Schalke 04	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	26 Nov	22 Oct	1 Oct
2	APOEL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			17 Sep	—	10 Dec	22 Oct
3	Sparta Prague	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			5 Nov	1 Oct	—	26 Nov
4	Asteras Tripoli	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			10 Dec	5 Nov	17 Sep	—

First match(es) will be played on 17 September 2015. Source: UEFA

Group L[edit]

POS	TEAM V T E	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	QUALIFICATION		ATH	AZ	AUG	PAR
1	Athletic Bilbao	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to knockout phase		—	10 Dec	17 Sep	5 Nov
2	AZ	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			1 Oct	—	22 Oct	26 Nov
3	Augsburg	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			26 Nov	5 Nov	—	1 Oct
	Partizan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			22 Oct	17 Sep	10 Dec