We have been drawn against Linkoping in the round 1 qualifiers of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
The Swedish club last featured in the competition in 2018/19 where they reached the round of 16. They have made it to the Champions League quarter-finals three times in their history: in 2010/11, 2014/15 and 2017/18.
A familiar name for many of our Gunners, Frida Maanum, Stina Blackstenius and Lina Hurtig have all previously played for the Swedish side. The last time we faced Linkoping in the Champions League back in 2011, club legends Kim Little and Jen Beattie helped us secure an away goals win to progress to the semi-finals.
Our path to the group stage
The first round of qualifying consists of two stages of knockout games. Should we make it through our clash with Linkoping on September 6, we will then take on the winner of Paris FC v FC Kryvbas three days later for a place in round 2.
Round 2's format differs in that we will only have one opponent between us and the Champions League group stage, but we will have to play home and away legs. Last year, we entered the competition in round 2 qualifying, beating Ajax 3-2 on aggregate.
The following teams will enter at this stage: Wolfsburg, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Sparta Praha, BK Häcken and Manchester United.
These knockout matches will take place in October and decide which 12 teams will join automatic qualifiers Barcelona, Lyon, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea in the group stages in November.
The draw in full
League Path
Group 1:
Semi-finals
FC Twente (NED) vs SK Sturm Graz (AUT)
Levante UD (ESP) vs Stjarnan (ISL)
Group 2:
Semi-finals
Juventus (ITA) vs WFC Okzhetpes (KAZ)
Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) vs 1. FC Slovácko (CZE)
Group 3:
Semi-finals
Paris FC (FRA) vs FC Kryvbas (UKR)
Arsenal WFC (ENG) vs Linköping FC (SWE)
Group 4:
Semi-finals
Brøndby IF (DEN) vs Celtic FC (SCO)
FC Minsk (BLR) vs Vålerenga Football (NOR)
The rest of the tournament
If we progress to the group stage of the tournament, we will be back in Champions League action in November after the draw on October 20. The matchday dates are as follows:
Group stage
Matchday 1: 14/15 November
Matchday 2: 22/23 November
Matchday 3: 13/14 December
Matchday 4: 20/21 December
Matchday 5: 24/25 January
Matchday 6: 30/31 January
Quarter-final & semi-final draw
February 6 - Nyon
Quarter-finals
First leg: 19/20 March
Second leg: 27/28 March
Semi-finals
First leg: 20/21 April
Second leg: 27/28 April
Final (San Mamés, Bilbao)
24, 25 or 26 May TBC
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