Women's EURO winners in Women's Champions League kick-off

Just 16 days after the end of UEFA Women's EURO 2017, several of the stars of the tournament – including five members of the Netherlands' winning squad – will be back in action as the UEFA Women's Champions League begins.

The basics

• In accordance with the association coefficient rankings, holders Lyon, the top two clubs from the nine highest-ranked countries (a list which includes Lyon) and the champions of the tenth, 11th and 12th-ranked nations (Austria, Scotland and Norway) have recevied byes to the round of 32, the remaining 40 of the record 61 entrants will compete in the qualifying round.

• The ten one-venue mini-tournaments are played on Tuesday, Friday and Monday. The ten group winners and the runners-up with the best record against the teams first and third in their section proceed to join the 21 teams given byes to the 1 September draw for the round of 32, with the two-legged knockout phase commencing in October.

The qualifying round groups

Group 1: Gintra Universitetas (LTU), Konak Belediyespor (TUR), Partizán Bardejov (SVK), Martve (GEO)*

Group 2: Olimpia Cluj (ROU)*, Hibernian (SCO) , WFC-2 Kharkiv (UKR), Swansea City (WAL)

Group 3: Standard Liège (BEL), Ajax (NED), Pärnu (EST)*, Rīgas Futbola skola (LVA)

Group 4: Medyk Konin (POL), PK-35 Vantaa (FIN), Shelbourne (IRL), Linfield (NIR)*

Group 5: Apollon (CYP)*, Sturm Graz (AUT), NSA Sofia (BUL), Noroc Nimoreni (MDA)

Group 6: Zürich (SUI), Minsk (BLR), Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN)*, Birkirkara (MLT)

Group 7: Stjarnan (ISL), Osijek (CRO)*, KÍ Klaksvík (FRO), SC Istatov (MKD)

Group 8: BIIK-Kazygurt (KAZ), MTK Hungária (HUN)*, Sporting CP (POR), Hajvalia (KOS)

Group 9: ŽFK Spartak (SRB), Avaldsnes (NOR), Kiryat Gat (ISR), Breznica (MNE)*

Group 10: SFK 2000 Sarajevo (BIH)*, PAOK (GRE), KS Vllaznia (ALB), Bettembourg (LUX)

*hosts

What to watch out for

• Debutants in qualifying round: Ajax, Olimpija Ljubljana, Sporting CP, WFC-2 Kharkiv, Shelbourne, Kiryat Gat, Partizán Bardejov, Linfield, Istatov, Bettembourg and Martve, Georgia's first entrants since 2010/11.

• Ajax's squad includes five members of the Netherlands' UEFA Women's EURO 2017 squad: Desiree van Lunteren, Stefanie van der Gragt, Sisca Folkertsma, Kelly Zeeman and Liza van der Most.

• Other teams fielding UEFA Women's EURO players include Standard, Sturm Graz, Zürich, Hibernian, Stjarnan, Sporting CP and Avaldsnes.

• Faroese champions KÍ Klaksvík maintain their unique record of entering all 17 seasons of UEFA women's club competition.

• Zürich and BIIK-Kazygurt reached the round of 16 last season.

Bye to round of 32

Lyon (FRA, holders)
Wolfsburg (GER)
FC Rosengård (SWE)
Barcelona (ESP)
Fortuna Hjørring (DEN)
Bayern München (GER)
Brøndby (DEN)
Rossiyanka (RUS)
Manchester City (ENG)
Glasgow City (SCO)
Zvezda-2005 (RUS)
Brescia (ITA)
Slavia Praha (CZE)
Sparta Praha (CZE)
Linköping (SWE)
Chelsea (ENG)
Montpellier (FRA)
LSK Kvinner (NOR)
St. Pölten (AUT)
Atlético Madrid (ESP)
Fiorentina (ITA)

Tournament calendar
Round of 32 draw: 1 September
Round of 32: 4/5 & 11/12 October
Round of 16 draw: 16 October
Round of 16: 8/9 & 15/16 November
Quarter-final & semi-final draw: 24 November
Quarter-finals: 21/22 & 28/29 March
Semi-finals: 21/22 & 28/29 April
Final: 24 May 2018, Valeriy Lobanovskiy Dynamo Stadium, Kyiv