Soccer

When is the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League round of 16 draw? Date, times, possible matchups, how to watch

This week, the knockout-phase playoffs will decide the final lineup for the Champions League last 16 - with the draw to follow soon after.

HAROLD CUNNINGHAM

William Allen

Journalist and translator, AS USA

British journalist and translator who joined Diario AS in 2013. Focuses on soccer – chiefly the Premier League, LaLiga, the Champions League, the Liga MX and MLS. On occasion, also covers American sports, general news and entertainment. Fascinated by the language of sport – particularly the under-appreciated art of translating cliché-speak.

Update: Feb 24th, 2026 17:36 EST

Just four spots remain up for grabs in the Champions League round of 16, after a quartet of teams secured progress from the knockout-phase playoffs on Tuesday.

The headlines go to Norwegians Bodo Glimt, who beat Inter Milan 2-1 at San Siro to seal a shock aggregate win over last season’s Champions League runners-up. Elsewhere on Tuesday, Atlético Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Newcastle United all completed two-legged victories over Club Brugge, Olympiacos and Qarabag, respectively.

Tuesday’s UCL playoffs second-leg results:

Atlético Madrid 4-1 Club Brugge (7-4 agg)
Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Olympiacos (2-0 agg)
Inter Milan 1-2 Bodo Glimt (2-5 agg)
Newcastle 3-2 Qarabag (9-3 agg)

The Bodø/Glimt fairytale continues at San Siro 💛

Into the round of 16 🔒#UCL pic.twitter.com/EhG2oQsXAD
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 24, 2026

When is the Champions League round of 16 draw?

The knockout-phase playoffs conclude with four further deciding legs on Wednesday, before attentions turn to the round of 16 draw, which takes place in Nyon on Friday, Feb. 27, at 12 noon local time. In the United States, that translates into a 6:00 a.m. ET/3:00 a.m. PT start.

At UEFA HQ in Switzerland, the eight playoff winners will join the league phase’s top eight finishers in the last-16 hat, as the knockout stage proper’s opening matchups are revealed. What’s more, Friday’s event will also determine every team’s potential path through the quarterfinals and semifinals, all the way to May’s final in Budapest.

How can I watch the Champions League round of 16 draw?

You can stream the draw live on UEFA.com, UEFA.tv and the Champions League app. You’ll also have the option of following live-text coverage of the event right here, at AS USA.

Who’s already in the round of 16 draw?

Seeded teams:

Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Tottenham
Barcelona
Chelsea
Sporting CP
Manchester City

Unseeded teams:

Atlético Madrid
Bayer Leverkusen
Bodo Glimt
Newcastle United

Who’s still vying for round of 16 qualification? Playoff second-leg schedule:

Wednesday, Feb. 25

12:45 p.m. ET: Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund (agg: 0-2)
3:00 p.m. ET: Juventus vs Galatasaray (agg: 2-5)
3:00 p.m. ET: PSG vs Monaco (agg: 3-2)
3:00 p.m. ET: Real Madrid vs Benfica (agg: 1-0)

How will the round of 16 draw work?

A total of eight round of 16 ties will be drawn out of the hat in Nyon, in each case pitting a seeded team (one of the league phase’s top eight finishers) with an unseeded team (one of the qualifiers from the playoffs).

Each last 16 participant will head into Friday’s draw knowing they can be paired with one of two clubs. This is because, during January’s knockout-phase playoff draw, each playoff was assigned two possible seeds that can be paired with that tie’s winner in the round of 16.

For example, Leverkusen and the winner of Dortmund vs Atalanta can only draw either Arsenal or Bayern, while Newcastle and the winner of PSG vs Monaco can only be paired with one of Barcelona or Chelsea:

Arsenal: can draw Dortmund/Atalanta/Leverkusen
Bayern: can draw Dortmund/Atalanta/Leverkusen
Liverpool: can draw Juventus/Galatasaray/Atlético
Tottenham: can draw Juventus/Galatasaray/Atlético
Barcelona: can draw PSG/Monaco/Newcastle
Chelsea: can draw PSG/Monaco/Newcastle
Man City: can draw Real Madrid/Benfica/Bodo Glimt
Sporting: can draw Real Madrid/Benfica/Bodo Glimt

As was also the case in the knockout-phase playoffs, teams from the same national association can be drawn together in the round of 16.

UCL knockout stage bracket:

During the playoffs draw, teams were placed in a knockout stage bracket with predetermined pathways to the final - so once a club’s last-16 tie is confirmed, so too are the opponents they could meet in the following rounds:

The road to Budapest 🛣️#UCL pic.twitter.com/TzhBKnPqYR
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 24, 2026

When will the Champions League round of 16 be played?

First legs: Tuesday, Mar. 11 and Wednesday, Mar. 12
Second legs: Tuesday, Mar. 18 and Wednesday, Mar. 19

What about the rest of the UCL knockout stages?

Quarterfinals

First legs: Tuesday, Apr. 7 and Wednesday, Apr. 8
Second legs: Tuesday, Apr. 14 and Wednesday, Apr. 15

Semifinals

First legs: Tuesday, Apr. 28 and Wednesday, Apr. 29
Second legs: Tuesday, May 5 and Wednesday, May 6

Final

Saturday, May 30, at Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary