Champions League round of 16 draw 2025-26: Teams, seeds, possible matchups, and how it works

The draw for the round of 16 of the 2025-26 Champions League will take place Friday, Feb. 27. Real Madrid, PSG and Atlético Madrid were among the big names to secure their spots via this week’s knockout phase playoffs, joining Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich in a star-studded list of contenders to lift the trophy.

Friday’s draw will also reveal the full bracket for the competition, finally answering all the “what if” scenarios fans have been debating online.

When is the Champions League round-of-16 draw?

The round-of-16 draw will be conducted in Switzerland at 12 p.m. local time, which is 6 a.m. ET and 3 a.m. PT, on Friday, Feb. 27. Be sure to set your alarms if you want to catch the action live.

Teams in the Champions League round-of-16 draw

The top eight teams in the league phase qualified automatically for the round of 16, skipping the playoffs. They are seeded for the draw, can end up on either side of the bracket, and will play the first leg on the road, with the second leg at home.

Seeded teams:

• Arsenal
• Bayern Munich
• Liverpool
• Tottenham
• Barcelona
• Chelsea
• Sporting CP
• Manchester City

The eight unseeded teams qualified through the knockout phase playoffs and already know which side of the bracket they are on. They will host the first leg and play the second leg on the road.

Unseeded teams:

• Real Madrid
• PSG
• Newcastle United
• Atlético Madrid
• Atalanta
• Bayer Leverkusen
• Galatasaray
• Bodø/Glimt

Champions League bracket before round-of-16 draw

So what does that all add up to? This is how the bracket looks at the moment, split into two sides.

Side 1

PSG vs Barcelona or Chelsea

Galatasaray vs Liverpool or Tottenham

Real Madrid vs Sporting CP or Manchester City

Atalanta vs Arsenal or Bayern Munich

Side 2:

Newcastle United vs Chelsea or Barcelona

Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham or Liverpool

Bodø/Glimt vs Manchester City or Sporting CP

Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich or Arsenal

The format means Barcelona could find themselves on the same side as PSG, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, or alternatively face Newcastle, Bodø/Glimt, and Bayer Leverkusen. All will become much clearer once Friday’s draw is complete.

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.

Champions League knockout stages: Full schedule

Round of 16

Draw: February 27

First legs: March 10-11

Second legs: March 17-18

Quarterfinals

Draw: February 27

First legs: April 7-8

Second legs: April 14-15

Semifinals

Draw: February 27

First legs: April 28-29

Second legs: May 5-6

Final

May 30 at Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary

Draw rales: Can teams from the same country meet?

As with the playoffs, teams from the same country can face each other, and clubs who met in the league phase can also be drawn together again.

The only restriction is that a seeded team must face an unseeded team in the round of 16.

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.

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