How UEFA Coefficients Decide the Pots

Before a single ball is drawn, the field is already ranked. Teams are sorted into pots by their UEFA club coefficient — a rolling measure of how well a club has performed in Europe over recent seasons.

Stronger record, higher pot

The higher your coefficient, the higher your pot. In the Champions and Europa League there are four pots of nine; in the Conference League, six pots of six.

The holder's shortcut

In the Champions League there's one twist: the title holder is placed as the top seed in Pot 1, regardless of coefficient. Win it, and you start the next campaign at the very top of the seeding.

Why it matters for the draw

Because every team draws opponents from *each* pot, a Pot 1 side still faces Pot 1 opposition — but a lower-seeded club can land a brutal set from the top pots. That's the "group of death" risk, spread across a whole table.

Try it: run the draw and see which pots your team pulls from.