2025-26 Champions League round of 16 draw: Teams, fixtures, dates, bracket

Real Madrid have been handed another blockbuster clash with Manchester City, after Friday’s Champions League round-of-16 draw paired Los Blancos with Pep Guardiola’s men in the knockout stages for the fifth straight season.

Friday’s draw also saw holders Paris Saint-Germain get Premier League opposition, with Chelsea pitted against the Ligue 1 giants.

Among the other notable ties to come out of the hat at UEFGA headquarters in Nyon, the Norwegian giant-killers Bodø/Glimt - who ousted 2025 runners-up Inter Milan in the knockout-phase playoffs - were given a last-16 matchup with Portuguese club Sporting CP.

Champions League round-of-16 draw in full:

• PSG vs Chelsea
• Galatasaray vs Liverpool
• Real Madrid vs Man City
• Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
• Newcastle vs Barcelona
• Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham
• Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting CP
• Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal

In each Champions League round-of-16 tie, the team listed second is at home in the second leg.

When are the 2025-26 Champions League round-of-16 games?

The first legs will be played March 10-11, with the second legs following March 17-18.

2025-26 Champions League bracket:

Every round-of-16 team now also knows their potential path all the way to May’s final in Budapest, as clubs have each been positioned on one side of a knockout-stage bracket: the ‘silver’ side or the ‘blue’ side.

Friday’s draw has left several of the Champions League’s biggest names - Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich - on the ‘silver’ side of the draw. It’s a circumstance which, in theory, offers teams on the ‘blue’ side of the knockout-stage bracker a more straightforward passageway to the title decider in Hungary.

In the Champions League quarterfinals and semifinals, the possible matchups are:

Quarterfinals

‘Silver’ side:

• PSG/Chelsea vs Galatasaray/Liverpool
• Real Madrid/Manchester City vs Atalanta/Bayern Munich

‘Blue’ side:

• Newcastle/Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid/Tottenham
• Bodø/Glimt/Sporting vs Bayer Leverkusen/Arsenal

Semifinals

‘Silver’ side:

• PSG/Chelsea/Galatasaray/Liverpool vs Real Madrid/Manchester City/Atalanta/Bayern Munich

‘Blue’ side:

• Newcastle/Barcelona/Atlético Madrid/Tottenham vs Bodø/Glimt/Sporting/Bayer Leverkusen/Arsenal

Champions League knockout stages: Full schedule

Round of 16

• First legs: March 10-11
• Second legs: March 17-18

Quarterfinals

• First legs: April 7-8
• Second legs: April 14-15

Semifinals

• First legs: April 28-29
• Second legs: May 5-6

Final

• May 30 at Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary

No more away goals

The Champions League no longer uses the away goal rule. If matchups are level after 180 minutes at the end of the second leg, two 15-minute periods of extra time are played. If the teams are still tied, a penalty shootout will determine the winner.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.