Manchester City will face holders Bayern Munich in the group phase of the UEFA Champions League, while Arsenal have been drawn alongside last season's runners-up Borussia Dortmund, and Celtic have been handed an arduous group.
Chelsea have been given a relatively kind-looking route to the last 16, while Manchester United will also be quietly optimistic of progressing to the knockout stages.
Celtic have been set the toughest task of the British clubs to qualify for the last 16 after the Scottish champions came out in Group H.
The opponents for Neil Lennon's side are Barcelona, who they faced in last season's group phase, Italian giants AC Milan and Dutch champions Ajax.
City have been given a good chance of reaching the knockout rounds for the first time after landing two high-profile groups in the previous two years.
Though Manuel Pellegrini's side will have to tackle reigning champions Bayern, City will also face Russian outfit CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen from the Czech Republic.
Arsenal, who reached the group phase after a comfortable 5-0 aggregate success over Fenerbahce in the play-offs, have been handed a testing draw in Group F.
In addition to facing Dortmund, the Gunners will also meet French side Marseille and Napoli, who are now coached by former Liverpool and Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez.
Three-times European champions United were drawn in Group A and David Moyes will likely be relatively satisfied with the opponents for his first group campaign as a manager.
United will tackle Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayer Leverkusen, who beat the Red Devils in the 2002 semi-finals, and Real Sociedad.
Chelsea, with Jose Mourinho now back as manager, have arguably been given the most straightforward group of the British clubs.
Aside from a meeting with 2011 semi-finalists Schalke, Chelsea will also encounter Swiss club Basel and Romanian side Steaua Bucharest.
Group B serves up the tantalising prospect of two games between Real Madrid and Juventus, with Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen also in that section.
Last season's Europa League runners-up Benfica were the top seeds in Group C and they will face Paris St Germain, Olympiakos and Anderlecht.
In Group G, 2004 European champions Porto will take on 2012 Europa League winners Atletico Madrid, 2008 UEFA Cup winners Zenit St Petersburg and Austria Vienna.

Group A: Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Sociedad
Group B: Real Madrid, Juventus, Galatasaray, FC Copenhagen
Group C: Benfica, Paris St Germain, Olympiakos, Anderlecht
Group D: Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow, Manchester City, Viktoria Plzen
Group E: Chelsea, Schalke, Basel, Steaua Bucharest
Group F: Arsenal, Marseille, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli
Group G: Porto, Atletico Madrid, Zenit St Petersburg, Austria Vienna
Group H: Barcelona, AC Milan, Ajax, Celtic