AGF Aarhus, Anderlecht, Rapid Wien and Real Madrid returned to the competition, after participating in the inaugural edition.

The draw for 🧾 the preliminary round took place in UEFA headquarters in Paris on 29 June 1956.[2] The 21 challengers of Real Madrid 🧾 were grouped geographically into three pots. The first four teams drawn in each pot would play the preliminary round in 🧾 September, while the remaining three clubs received byes.

Red Star Belgrade won 4–3 on aggregate.

Real Madrid won 5–3 on aggregate.