Liverpool fans could be in for some fresh and unexpected European adventures this season, with the Champions League draw set to take place tomorrow evening.
Just after 5pm, Liverpool will find out the eight teams they’ll face in the league stage of the revamped competition, which they topped last season in its inaugural format.
While familiar names like Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Napoli may be on the horizon for Arne Slot’s team, there’s also the possibility of facing lesser-known opponents making their debut in Europe’s top tournament.
Liverpool might meet Champions League newcomers
Three more teams secured their place in the league phase on Tuesday night, all of whom are competing in the Champions League proper for the first time, according to UEFA.
Among them, Bodo/Glimt are perhaps the most recognizable, having made several recent European appearances and reaching the Europa League semi-finals last season before falling to eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur.
Cypriot side Pafos, founded just a year before Joe Gomez joined Liverpool, pulled off a major upset by knocking out 1991 European champions Red Star Belgrade. This will be just their second season in European competition.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty made headlines by eliminating Celtic on penalties. They now become only the second Kazakh club ever to qualify for the Champions League group stage. Based just 350km from the Chinese border, their inclusion promises one of the longest away trips in European football.
Liverpool have never previously faced any of these three debutants.
Some long-haul away days could be on the cards
Last season’s away days were relatively manageable, with Liverpool traveling to countries like Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Spain. Even during their Europa League run in 2023/24, their longest trips were to Austria and Czechia.
This time, though, a potential visit to Almaty would involve a massive journey—over 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles)—making Kairat the most easterly club to ever qualify for the Champions League.
Bodo/Glimt would offer a different kind of challenge. Located within the Arctic Circle, a trip to Norway to face them would be Liverpool’s most northerly European outing to date.
Since these two teams are in separate pots, there’s a realistic chance that Liverpool could be drawn to play both away. Each club will face two teams from each pot (one home, one away), with a maximum of two clubs from any one domestic league—and no other English teams—permitted in the draw.
All will be revealed tomorrow evening, but with some unexpected results this week, Liverpool fans could soon be heading to some of the most unique and distant locations they’ve ever experienced in European competition.
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