The UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off draw took place on January 30, 2026, in Nyon, Switzerland, pairing teams like Newcastle United against Qarabağ FK and Real Madrid with Benfica. These matches will determine the final eight spots in the round of 16, with first legs scheduled for February 17 and 18. Winners advance to face top-eight finishers in March.
The draw for the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs was conducted at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 11am GMT. It involved teams finishing ninth to 24th in the league phase, divided into seeded and unseeded pairs to form the bracket.
Newcastle United, who ended 12th with 14 points from eight fixtures, were drawn against Qarabağ FK, who finished 22nd. The first leg is set for Wednesday, February 18, at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku, kicking off at 5:45pm GMT. The return leg follows on Tuesday, February 24, at St. James' Park in Newcastle, starting at 8pm GMT. The victor will meet either FC Barcelona or Chelsea in the round of 16, with that draw occurring on February 27.
Other notable pairings include Real Madrid facing Benfica in a rematch, PSG against Monaco, Inter Milan versus Bodø/Glimt, Borussia Dortmund against Atalanta, Club Brugge versus Atlético Madrid, Olympiacos taking on Bayer Leverkusen, and Galatasaray drawn with Juventus. Seeded teams, including Newcastle, will generally host the second leg.
The ties are two-legged, spanning February 17/18 for first legs and 24/25 for seconds. The eight play-off winners join the top-eight league-phase teams—such as Arsenal (1st) and Tottenham (4th)—in the round of 16 on March 10/11 and 17/18. For London clubs like Chelsea (6th), multiple qualifications raise concerns over home advantages due to UEFA rules prohibiting matches in the same city on the same night, potentially forcing one to a neutral venue.
This new format ensures competitive early knockouts, with the round of 16 draw on February 27 setting further paths toward the final in Budapest on May 30.
