Manchester United discover Champions League second qualifying round opponents | OneFootball

Manchester United have discovered their Champions League opponents after the qualifying draw. Copyright: Daniela Porcelli/SPP

The Women’s Champions League draw has pitted Manchester United against PSV Vrouwen on the Red Devils’ return to Europe’s top competition.

Mark Skinner’s side qualified for the competition by finishing inside the top three of the Women’s Super League (WSL).

United enter the competition at the second-qualifying round phase, which they must navigate to join holders Arsenal and Chelsea in the League Phase.

PSV finished second in the Eredivisie Vrouwen last season, losing out on the title on goal difference to FC Twente.

The Dutch side though are not the only team that United must beat to advance past the qualifying rounds. The match against PSV is a semi-final in the second qualifying round.

United will then meet the winners of Hammarby and Metalist Kharkiv in the final.

Also in the second-round, Scottish champions Hibernian will meet Danish title winners Fortuna Hjorring. They will then meet the winners of Apollon vs Young Boys.

Glasgow City face Austria Vienna, before facing FC Minsk in their respective final.

When does Manchester United’s Champions League campaign begin?

Following the Women’s Champions League draw, Manchester United will face PSV in a one-off tie to be played on Wednesday, August 27th.

The Red Devils will then meet either Swedish side Hammarby or Ukrainian outfit Metalist Kharkiv three days later. Both matches would be hosted in Stockholm, Sweden.

Maya Le Tissier, Grace Clinton and Ella Toone are part of Sarina Wiegman’s 23-player England squad at Euro 2025 next month.

If they reach the Euro 2025 final on July 27th, it would give them exactly a month to rest and then prepare for the Women’s Champions League.

According to the top betting sites in the UK, England are one of the favourites to go all the way as second favourites with 3/1 odds.

Victory in the second-qualifying round final would seal a spot in the third and final qualifying round in September. That would be a two-legged home and away tie against one of nine other remaining sides.

Women’s Champions League format

First and second qualifying rounds

The 2025-26 Women’s Champions League are divided into two routes – the Champions Path and the League Path.

The Champions Path begins in the first round of qualifying featuring 21 teams including Cardiff City. Mini-tournaments are held consisting of three or four teams, with semi-finals and finals.

The six teams who win their group then join 22 other teams in the Champion Path in the second round of qualifying.

Also in the second round of qualifying, the League Path gets underway featuring 15 teams, including Manchester United.

The Champions Path and League Path are then split into mini-tournaments consisting of three or four teams, again consisting of one-legged semi-final and final matches.

Third qualifying round

In the Champions Path, seven tournament winners from the second round join one other team in the third round of qualifying.

Unlike the first two rounds, these will be played over two legs home and away. Four teams from the Champions Path will advance to the League Phase of the Champions League.

In the League Path, four teams will advance from the second to third round of qualifying.

They will be joined by six other teams who directly enter the competition at the third qualifying round.

Home and away legs will be played on September 11th and 18th, with five teams from the League Path making the League Phase of the competition.

League Phase and Knockout Rounds

The nine teams who make it out of the qualifying rounds will join the League Phase alongside nine other teams.

Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Chelsea, Juventus, Lyon, Paris Saint-Germain and VfL Wolfsburg are already in the league phase of the competition.

The Swiss model system has been implemented for the 2025-26 Women’s Champions League. Teams will play matches against six different opponents – three at home and three away.

Teams that finish in the top-four of the League Phase will directly advance to the quarter-finals. Those who finish between 15th and 12th will have to go through a two-legged playoff.

What happens if Manchester United lose in Champions League qualifying?

If Manchester United finish second or third in their group in the second-qualifying round, they will be demoted to the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup.

If United lose to PSV they will play a third-placed match against the losers of Hammarby vs Metalist Kharkiv.

Should United then lose again to either Hammarby or Kharkiv, they will exit Europe altogether.

United will also be demoted to the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup if they lost in the two-legged third qualifying round.

This season will be the inaugural edition of the Women’s Europa Cup – giving more chance for teams to achieve glory in Europe.

Manchester United’s record in the Women’s Champions League

This will be just the second season in the history of Manchester United that they have played in the Women’s Champions League.

They first did so during the 2023-24 season. However, they didn’t last long as they exited the competition before the group stage.

The Red Devils lost 2-4 on aggregate to eventual semi-finalists Paris Saint-Germain.

Should United beat PSV Eindhoven, it would be their first-ever win in the competition.