The knockout playoff spherical of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League is full! After an exciting conclusion to the spherical, which noticed the likes of Internazionale and Juventus tumble out of the competitors, we now know the 16 groups nonetheless in competition for Europe’s most coveted trophy.
That means the draw for the spherical of 16 is almost upon us. But who’s collaborating on this draw, and the way will all of it go down?
Here’s every thing you might want to know in regards to the subsequent huge occasion on the Champions League calendar.
When is the draw for the spherical of 16?
The draw for the knockout playoff spherical will happen Friday, Feb. 27, at 6 a.m. ET (11 a.m. GMT).
The round-of-16 video games will happen March 10-11 and March 17-18.
Which golf equipment have made the spherical of 16?
The high eight finishers within the league part went straight by to the spherical of 16 and are seeded for the draw. These groups are paired primarily based on their last place within the league part. For instance, first-place Arsenal are paired with second-place Bayern Munich, third-place Liverpool with fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur and so forth.
Seeded groups (high eight in league part):
Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Tottenham
Barcelona
Chelsea
Sporting CP
Manchester City
Unseeded groups (knockout playoff spherical winners):
Real Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain
Newcastle United
Atletico Madrid
Atalanta
Bayer Leverkusen
Galatasaray
Bodø/Glimt
How does the draw work?
Starting with the groups ranked seventh and eighth (Sporting CP and Man City), every pair of seeded groups might be drawn into considered one of two positions towards a related unseeded workforce. The attract January decided the place within the bracket every winner from the knockout playoff spherical could be positioned, so solely the seeded groups might be drawn.
By the top of the draw, the bracket might be finalized, which implies we’ll know every workforce’s path by the remainder of the knockout rounds.
Here is how the bracket appears forward of the draw.
What are the potential matchups?
Possible round-of-16 ties:
Arsenal or Bayern Munich will play both:
Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen
Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur will play both:
Atlético Madrid or Galatasaray
Barcelona or Chelsea will play both:
Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United
Sporting CP or Manchester City will play both:
Real Madrid or Bodø/Glimt
Is there any nation safety?
No — golf equipment from the identical nation might be drawn towards one another. Chelsea and Newcastle United might face off within the spherical of 16, for instance.
Clubs can be matched up towards opponents they already confronted within the league part.
What are the remaining essential Champions League dates this season?
Round of 16: March 10-11, March 17-18
Quarterfinals: April 7-8, April 14-15
Semifinals: April 28-29, May 5-6
Final: May 30 (Budapest, Hungary)
