The knockout stage of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League has concluded! After an exciting finish that saw prominent teams like Internazionale and Juventus exit the tournament, we now have the 16 clubs competing for Europe’s most prestigious trophy.
The draw for the round of 16 is just around the corner. Curious about who will be involved and how the draw will unfold?
Here’s everything you need to know about this upcoming key event in the Champions League schedule.
When is the round of 16 draw?
The draw for the knockout playoff round is set for Friday, Feb. 27, at 6 a.m. ET (11 a.m. GMT).
Round-of-16 matches will take place on March 10-11 and March 17-18.
Which clubs have advanced to the round of 16?
The top eight teams from the league phase automatically qualified for the round of 16 and will be seeded for the draw. These clubs will be matched based on their league positions, such as first-place Arsenal facing second-place Bayern Munich, and third-place Liverpool battling against fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur.
Seeded teams (top eight in league phase):
Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Tottenham
Barcelona
Chelsea
Sporting CP
Manchester City
Unseeded teams (winners of knockout playoff round):
Real Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain
Newcastle United
Atletico Madrid
Atalanta
Bayer Leverkusen
Galatasaray
Bodø/Glimt
How does the draw operate?
Beginning with teams ranked seventh and eighth (Sporting CP and Man City), each seeded team will be assigned a position against an unseeded team. A prior draw in January established where each knockout playoff winner would be placed in the bracket, thus only seeded teams will be drawn now.
By the conclusion of the draw, the bracket will be finalized, revealing each team’s potential route through the remaining knockout phases.
What potential matchups can we expect?
Possible round-of-16 pairings:
Arsenal or Bayern Munich will face:
Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen
Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur will play:
Atlético Madrid or Galatasaray
Barcelona or Chelsea will meet:
Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United
Sporting CP or Manchester City will take on:
Real Madrid or Bodø/Glimt
Is there any restriction on country pairings?
None—clubs from the same country may face each other in the draw. For instance, Chelsea could potentially compete against Newcastle United in the round of 16.
Clubs are also eligible to face teams they encountered during the league phase.
What are the upcoming key 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)