The UEFA Champions League round of 16 draw will take place on Friday, February 27, 2026, in Nyon, Switzerland, determining matchups for the knockout stage. Sixteen teams have qualified, including six from the Premier League, with seeded sides facing unseeded playoff winners. The ties begin in March, leading to the final in Budapest on May 30.
The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League enters its knockout phase after the league stage and playoffs concluded with notable upsets. Seeded teams, who finished in the top eight of the league phase, include Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, and Manchester City. These sides will face unseeded opponents who advanced through the playoffs: Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Galatasaray, Bodø/Glimt, and Paris Saint-Germain.
Potential matchups are limited by bracket positions. For instance, Arsenal and Bayern Munich can only draw Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen; Liverpool and Tottenham face Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray; Barcelona and Chelsea meet Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United; while Sporting CP and Manchester City play Real Madrid or Bodø/Glimt. The draw, starting at 11 a.m. UK time (6 a.m. ET), will also outline paths to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.
Playoff highlights included Bodø/Glimt's historic elimination of Inter Milan, Galatasaray's 7-5 aggregate win over Juventus—marked by Victor Osimhen's respectful non-celebration of his goal against former coach Luciano Spalletti—and Real Madrid's 3-1 aggregate victory over Benfica amid controversy involving Vinícius Júnior's allegation of racist abuse from Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, who was suspended. English clubs dominated, with Newcastle thrashing Qarabağ 9-3 on aggregate.
Round of 16 first legs are scheduled for March 10-11, second legs March 17-18. Quarterfinals follow April 7-15, semifinals April 28-May 6, and the final is May 30 in Budapest. The away goals rule is abolished; ties go to extra time and penalties if needed.
