Which teams have qualified for the 2025-26 Champions League round of 16?

The penultimate round of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League league phase gets underway on Tuesday, January 20, and Wednesday, January 21, with several clubs having the chance to lock up a place in the round of 16 with one match still to play.

With the revamped format entering a decisive stretch, Matchday 7 could go a long way toward clarifying which teams are headed straight into the knockout rounds and which will need to take the longer road.

Teams already qualified for the round of 16

After the conclusion of play on Tuesday, January 20, Arsenal are the only team who have mathematically secured a place in the Champions League round of 16.

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich (both 15 points), Spurs (14 points), Paris Saint-Germain, Sporting CP, Manchester City and Atalanta (all 13 points) are guaranteed at least a spot in the knockout phase playoffs.

Champions League fixtures and results: Matchday 7

Tuesday, January 20

• Kariat 1-4 Club Brugge
• Bodø/Glimt 3-1 Manchester City
• Copenhagen 1-1 Napoli
• Inter 1-3 Arsenal
• Real Madrid 6-1 Monaco
• Sporting CP 2-1 PSG
• Tottenham 2-0 Borussia Dortmund
• Villarreal 1-2 Ajax

Wednesday, January 21

• Galatasaray vs. Atlético Madrid, 12:45 p.m. ET
• Qarabag vs. Eintracht Frankfurt, 12:45 p.m. ET
• Atalanta vs. Athletic Club, 3:00 p.m. ET
• Bayern Munich vs. Union St. Gilloise, 3:00 p.m. ET
• Chelsea vs. Pafos, 3:00 p.m. ET
• Juventus vs. Benfica, 3:00 p.m. ET
• Marseille vs. Liverpool, 3:00 p.m. ET
• Newcastle vs. PSV Eindhoven, 3:00 p.m. ET
• Slavia Prague vs. Barcelona, 3:00 p.m. ET

How qualification works in the new Champions League format

This season marks the second year of the Champions League’s revamped league phase, which replaced the traditional group stage with a Swiss-style system.

Each team plays eight matches instead of six, facing eight different opponents. Once all games are completed, the 36 clubs are ranked together in a single league table.

The top eight teams advance directly to the two-leg round of 16, scheduled for March 10-11 and March 17-18. The draw for the round of 16 will take place on February 27.

Teams finishing from ninth through 24th place move on to the knockout phase playoffs, an extra two-leg round introduced under the new format. Those matches will be played February 17-18 and February 24-25 and will determine the final eight spots in the round of 16.

Clubs finishing between ninth and 16th will be seeded for the playoffs and will host the first leg at home, giving them a potential edge as the Champions League moves closer to its business end.

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