The knockout playoff spherical of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League is full! After an exhilarating 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 rivalry for Europe’s most coveted trophy.
Which means the draw for the spherical of 16 is almost upon us. However who’s participating on this draw, and the way will all of it go down?
Here is all the things you must know in regards to the subsequent massive 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 highest eight finishers within the league section went straight by to the spherical of 16 and are seeded for the draw. These groups are paired based mostly on their last place within the league section. 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 section):
Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Tottenham
Barcelona
Chelsea
Sporting CP
Manchester Metropolis
Unseeded groups (knockout playoff spherical winners):
Actual Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain
Newcastle United
Atletico Madrid
Atalanta
Bayer Leverkusen
Galatasaray
Bodø/Glimt
How does the draw work?
Beginning with the groups ranked seventh and eighth (Sporting CP and Man Metropolis), every pair of seeded groups can be drawn into one in every of two positions in opposition to 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 can be drawn.
By the tip of the draw, the bracket can be finalized, which suggests we’ll know every workforce’s path by the remainder of the knockout rounds.
Right here is how the bracket seems forward of the draw.
What are the potential matchups?
Potential 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 Metropolis will play both:
Actual Madrid or Bodø/Glimt
Is there any nation safety?
No — golf equipment from the identical nation may be drawn in opposition to one another. Chelsea and Newcastle United may face off within the spherical of 16, for instance.
Golf equipment will also be matched up in opposition to opponents they already confronted within the league section.
What are the remaining necessary Champions League dates this season?
Spherical of 16: March 10-11, March 17-18
Quarterfinals: April 7-8, April 14-15
Semifinals: April 28-29, Might 5-6
Closing: Might 30 (Budapest, Hungary)
