Under the new system, each team will face eight different opponents, a departure from the previous format where they played three teams twice. The eight opponents will be determined based on seeding in four pots, with the club's coefficient at the start of the season being the deciding factor.
Arsenal will be placed in the second pot. with the draw ensuring that each team plays against two teams from each pot, with one match at home and one away. UEFA has also stipulated that teams cannot face opponents from their own country during the league phase and can only be drawn against a maximum of two sides from the same nation.
The new draw, scheduled for August 29, will involve 36 teams being manually drawn using physical balls. Automated software will then randomly select eight opponents across the four pots for each team. These selections will be revealed on screen in the draw hall and broadcast on television.
The software will also determine the venues for each match. The draw will kick off with Pot 1, lining up eight opponents for each of the nine teams, one by one, and will proceed with the remaining pots in descending order until all teams have their eight rivals.
UEFA assures that the software will ensure complete randomness within the parameters set by the regulations, while also ensuring that the draw can be finalised for all teams without leading to a deadlock situation at any point.
While the teams will be aware of all their opponents by the end of the draw, the fixture list detailing match dates and kick-off times will be compiled later and announced on Saturday, August 31, to avoid any scheduling conflicts with teams in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League playing in the same cities.
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