The qualifying rounds for the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League began on 12 July 2005. In total, there were three qualifying rounds which provided 16 clubs to join the group stage.

First qualifying round

Title-holders Liverpool

Liverpool F.C.

Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

, as well as 23 league champions from countries ranked 27 or lower on the 2004 UEFA ranking

UEFA coefficients

In European football, the UEFA coefficients are statistics used for ranking and seeding teams in club and international competitions.The coefficients are calculated by UEFA, who administer football within Europe...

, were drawn against each other and played two matches, home and away, with the winners advancing to the second qualifying round. Though they finished fifth in the Premier League in 2004–05

FA Premier League 2004-05

The 2004–05 season of the FA Premier League began on 14 August 2004 and ended on 15 May 2005. Arsenal were the defending champions after going unbeaten the previous season....

 (usually only four English teams are allowed in), Liverpool was granted a special exemption by UEFA

UEFA

The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....

 as the holders, whereby they were placed into the first qualification round.
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First leg

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Second leg

Dinamo Tbilisi won 2–1 on aggregate.
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Artmedia won 4–3 on aggregate.
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Neftchi Baku won 4–1 on aggregate.
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Rabotnički won 6–1 on aggregate.
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Anorthosis Famagusta won 2–1 on aggregate.
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Sheriff Tiraspol won 6–1 on aggregate.
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FBK Kaunas won 8–2 on aggregate.
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Liverpool won 6–0 on aggregate.
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Haka won 3–2 on aggregate.
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KF Tirana won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Shelbourne won 6–2 on aggregate.
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F91 Dudelange won 4–1 on aggregate.

Second qualifying round

The 12 winners from the first qualifying round, 10 champions from countries ranked 17–26, and six second–placed teams from countries ranked 10–15 were drawn against each other and played two matches, home and away, with the winners advancing to the third qualifying round.

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First leg

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Second leg

Liverpool won 5–1 on aggregate.
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Brøndby IF won 5–1 on aggregate.
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Anderlecht won 5–1 on aggregate.
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Vålerenga IF won 5–1 on aggregate.
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Thun won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Anorthosis Famagusta won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Artmedia won 5–4 on aggregate.
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CSKA Sofia won 4–0 on aggregate.
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Malmö FF won 5–4 on aggregate.
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Steaua Bucureşti won 4–1 on aggregate.
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Lokomotiv Moscow won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Rapid Wien won 9–3 on aggregate.
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Partizan won 2–0 on aggregate.
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Debrecen won 8–0 on aggregate.

Third qualifying round

The 14 winners from the second qualifying round, six champions from countries ranked 11–16, three second–placed teams from countries ranked 7–9, six third–placed teams from countries ranked 1–6, and three fourth–placed teams from countries ranked 1–3 were drawn to play 2 matches, home and away, with the winners advancing to the group stage and losers advancing to the first round of the UEFA Cup

UEFA Cup

The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

.
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First leg

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Second leg

Panathinaikos won 5–4 on aggregate.
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Real Betis won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Club Brugge 1–1 Vålerenga IF on aggregate. Club Brugge won 4–3 on penalties.
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Manchester United won 6–0 on aggregate.
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Villarreal won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Rangers won 4–1 on aggregate.
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Rosenborg won 4–3 on aggregate.
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Rapid Wien won 2–1 on aggregate.
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Partizan 0–0 Artmedia on aggregate. Artmedia won 4–3 on penalties.
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Liverpool won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Udinese won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Thun won 4–0 on aggregate.
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Internazionale won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Werder Bremen won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Ajax won 5–3 on aggregate.
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Anderlecht won 4–1 on aggregate.