The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League league stage has delivered a bounty of excitement and spectacular goals, but the knockout phase is just around the corner. In less than a week, we will discover which 24 teams will earn the chance to compete for European supremacy.
Before that happens, however, the final matchweek of the league stage needs to unfold, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for some of the continent’s elite clubs. Teams like Liverpool, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, and defending champions Paris Saint-Germain are all vying for positions in the top eight, which would grant them direct entry into the round of 16. Manchester City is also in that race after suffering a surprising 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday.
All matches are scheduled for Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. ET, promising an exhilarating two-hour display where every goal could significantly impact which teams progress and which ones see their European aspirations end abruptly.
It’s important to note that the teams finishing in the top eight will bypass the knockout playoff round. Clubs ranked ninth to 24th will compete in that playoff round in February, while those in 25th to 36th will be eliminated. Furthermore, mirroring last year’s format, no teams will drop into the Europa League from the Champions League.
Which teams are still in contention for the knockout rounds, and what are the implications for each squad? Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the league phase’s final matchweek.
Which teams have already secured knockout spots?
Round of 16 (2):
Arsenal: Confirmed to finish in either first or second place, guaranteeing a top seed in the bracket.
Bayern Munich: Clinched their round-of-16 spot with a 2-0 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise on Wednesday.
Guaranteed at least a place in the knockout playoff round (13):
Real Madrid, Liverpool, Tottenham, PSG, Newcastle, Chelsea, Barcelona, Sporting CP, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Inter, Juventus
Will qualify for knockout rounds or face elimination (17):
Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, Qarabag, Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen, AS Monaco, PSV Eindhoven, Athletic Club, Olympiacos, Napoli, F.C. København, Club Brugge, Bodo/Glimt, Benfica, Pafos, Union Saint-Gilloise, Ajax
Out (4):
Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, Villarreal, Kairat Almaty
The race to qualify: Pathways for teams
The finale of matchweek action is poised to be thrilling, with both the top-eight and top-24 qualification battles coming down to the wire. Arsenal and Bayern are the only two teams feeling entirely secure in their standings, while 32 out of 36 teams still have a shot at the knockout rounds.
(Each team listed below includes their opponent for the final matchweek on Jan. 28.)
1. Arsenal (21 points, plus-18 goal difference)
Kairat Almaty (Home)
The Gunners have secured their progression and are guaranteed to finish in the top two, allowing them to host the second leg of each knockout tie until the final.
2. Bayern Munich (18, plus-13)
PSV Eindhoven (Away)
Having secured their round-of-16 berth, Bayern can clinch a top-two finish with a win or draw against PSV, keeping them from facing Arsenal until the later knockout stages.
3. Real Madrid (15, plus-11)
Benfica (Away)
4. Liverpool (15, plus-6)
Qarabag (Home)
Both clubs are in a position where winning their respective matches guarantees them a spot in the round of 16. However, while a draw is likely sufficient for Real Madrid against Benfica, Liverpool’s less favorable goal differential raises the stakes if they fail to secure a victory against Qarabag at Anfield.
5. Tottenham Hotspur (14, plus-8)
Eintracht Frankfurt (Away)
Despite struggles in their Premier League campaign, Spurs are in a good position in Europe. A win against Frankfurt ensures their place in the round of 16, while a draw may suffice if they receive favorable outcomes from other matches.
6. Paris Saint-Germain (13, plus-10)
Newcastle (Home)
7. Newcastle United (13, plus-10)
Paris Saint-Germain (Away)
8. Chelsea (13, plus-6)
Napoli (Away)
9. Barcelona (13, plus-5)
FC København (Home)
10. Sporting CP (13, plus-5)
Athletic Club (Away)
11. Manchester City (13, plus-4)
Galatasaray (Home)
12. Atletico Madrid (13, plus-3)
Bodo/Glimt (Home)
13. Atalanta (13, plus-1)
Union Saint-Gilloise (Away)
The competition for the remaining six round-of-16 spots is intense, with all these teams still firmly in reach. If Real Madrid, Liverpool, or Tottenham drop points, it will significantly improve the prospects for clubs looking to finish in the top eight.
Goal difference will likely play a critical role in determining which teams qualify, and additional tiebreakers might be needed. The next tiebreakers are goals scored and away goals scored. (Refer below for the entire tiebreaker list.)
The match between PSG and Newcastle is especially intriguing. While a draw could see both advance, both teams would prefer a win for greater peace of mind, given their healthy goal differentials.
Regardless of outcomes in other matches, any team that secures a win in their final match and finishes with the most points and favorable goal differential will progress to the round of 16.
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14. Internazionale (12, plus-6)
Borussia Dortmund (Home)
15. Juventus (12, plus-4)
Benfica (Home)
These two Italian teams also remain in the hunt for a place in the round of 16, but they will likely need to win their final matches. Achieving 15 points would necessitate that several clubs currently holding 13 points drop points in their final match to improve their chances.
Inter’s solid goal differential of plus-6 positions them well for any necessary tiebreakers.
At a minimum, both teams can be assured of progress from the league stage.
16. Borussia Dortmund (11, plus-4)
Internazionale (Away)
17. Galatasaray (10, even)
Manchester City (Away)
18. Qarabag (10, minus-2)
Liverpool (Away)
These teams are all still theoretically in contention for a round-of-16 spot, but particularly Galatasaray and Qarabag will likely be focused on the outcomes of their rivals below them. Dortmund must either win or draw to keep their own hopes alive, while Galatasaray and Qarabag need victories against formidable opponents. A heavy loss could prompt anxiety as full-time approaches.
19. Marseille (9, even)
Club Brugge (Away)
20. Bayer Leverkusen (9, minus-4)
Villarreal (Home)
21. AS Monaco (9, minus-6)
Juventus (Home)
For these three clubs, the task is straightforward: win their final matches to ensure they advance to the knockout stage. While a draw might suffice for qualification, it would provide hope to six clubs behind them. A loss could be disastrous, particularly for Monaco, as several clubs below them have more favorable goal differentials.
22. PSV Eindhoven (8, plus-1)
Bayern Munich (Home)
23. Athletic Club (8, minus-4)
Sporting CP (Home)
24. Olympiacos (8, minus-5)
Ajax (Away)
25. Napoli (8, minus-5)
Chelsea (Home)
26. FC København (8, minus-6)
Barcelona (Away)
27. Club Brugge (7, minus-5)
Marseille (Home)
The battle for spots within the top 24 is tightly contested, with Olympic and Napoli currently separated only by goals scored in the tiebreaker rules.
The matchups are crucial for these teams’ hopes of qualification: Olympiacos, for instance, will be pleased to face Ajax, who currently find themselves at the bottom of the standings. Meanwhile, PSV, Napoli, and København face daunting challenges against some of Europe’s strongest teams.
Victories will greatly improve the fortunes of these squads, but nothing is guaranteed beyond their own results.
28. Bodo/Glimt (6, minus-2)
Atletico Madrid (Away)
29. Benfica (6, minus-4)
Real Madrid (Home)
30. Pafos (6, minus-6)
Slavia Prague (Home)
31. Union Saint-Gilloise (6, minus-10)
Atalanta (Home)
32. Ajax (6, minus-12)
Olympiacos (Away)
These teams need to win and hope for favorable outcomes elsewhere to have a shot at advancing. Anything less and their European campaigns will end prematurely.
33. Eintracht Frankfurt (4, minus-9)
Tottenham Hotspur (Home)
34. Slavia Prague (3, minus-11)
Pafos (Away)
35. Villarreal (1, minus-10)
Bayer Leverkusen (Away)
36. Kairat Almaty (1, minus-14)
Arsenal (Away)
The bottom four clubs have been effectively eliminated from competition.
What are the tiebreakers for the league phase?
1 – Goal difference
2 – Goals scored
3 – Away goals scored
4 – Wins
5 – Away wins
6 – Higher number of total points collected by league phase opponents
7 – Higher goal difference of league phase opponents
8 – Higher goals scored by league phase opponents
9 – Disciplinary points
10 – UEFA club coefficient
Why does table position matter?
Table standings are significant because they influence the structure of the knockout round matchups.
The “seeding” system implemented for the 2024-25 season ensures that higher-ranked teams don’t encounter each other until later knockout rounds.
Last season highlighted how crucial these placements can be. Manchester City barely qualified for the knockout phase on the final matchday, finishing 22nd and consequently entering the knockout playoffs, setting up a clash with Real Madrid, who prevailed 6-3 over two legs. Conversely, PSG handled the extra matches seamlessly, advancing to the title after defeating Brest in the playoffs.
The graphic below illustrates how final standings can impact knockout brackets.
When will the knockout round playoff draw occur?
The draw for the knockout round playoffs — featuring teams finishing from ninth to 24th — will take place on January 30 at 6 a.m. ET.