The pool stage of the 2007–08 Heineken Cup began on 9 November 2007, and was completed on 20 January 2008. Involved in the pool stage were the 23 clubs that qualified through their respective domestic leagues, and one that qualified via the Italo-Celtic play-off match in May 2007. The 24 teams were divided into six pools of four teams each, with each team to play each of the others in their pool once at home and once away. At the end of the pool stage, the winners of each pool advanced to the quarter-finals, along with the two best runners-up. The teams were then seeded, first by pool position, and then by points attained, in order to determine which teams received home advantage for the quarter-finals.