Champions League round of 16 draw 2025-26: Teams, seeds, possible matchups, and how it works
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool and more are set for the knockout stage. Here’s when the draw happens, the seeds, and the bracket scenarios.
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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