Who will Liverpool play next in the Champions League? Round-of-16 opponents, UCL draw
The Reds are through to the last 16 after a strong league phase campaign, but a tricky outcome is guaranteed in Friday’s draw.
Liverpool are safely through to the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League round of 16, but their path to the quarterfinals will not be straightforward.
Five Premier League clubs qualified directly for the last 16 via the league phase, with Newcastle United joining them after navigating the knockout phase playoffs. Now attention turns to Friday’s draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where the bracket for the remainder of the tournament will take shape.
Liverpool’s possible round-of-16 opponents
As one of the seeded teams, Liverpool will face an unseeded side that advanced through the playoffs.
The Reds can draw either Atlético Madrid or Galatasaray.
Atlético powered past Club Brugge with a 7-4 aggregate win, while Galatasaray edged Juventus 7-5 over two legs. Both sides bring very different challenges. Atlético’s tactical discipline and knockout experience contrast with Galatasaray’s attacking threat and high-tempo style.
Tottenham are in the same half of the draw pool and share identical potential opponents, meaning Liverpool and Spurs cannot meet at this stage.
Which teams are in the Champions League round-of-16 draw?
The seeded teams are:
- Arsenal
- Bayern Munich
- Liverpool
- Tottenham
- Barcelona
- Chelsea
- Sporting CP
- Manchester City
The unseeded teams are:
- Atlético Madrid
- Galatasaray
- Atalanta
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Bodo Glimt
- Real Madrid
- Newcastle United
- Paris Saint-Germain
Arsenal made headlines by winning all eight of their league phase games, becoming the first team under the new format to post a perfect opening record. Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool also finished inside the top eight to secure seeded status.
Newcastle booked their place with a commanding 9-3 aggregate victory over Qarabag, while Bodo Glimt – under the guidance of Kjetil Knutsen – became the first Norwegian club to win a Champions League knockout tie after eliminating Inter Milan.
When is the Champions League round-of-16 draw?
The draw takes place on Friday, February 27 at 6:00 a.m. ET and 3:00 a.m. PT at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon.
The round-of-16 first legs will be played on March 11-12, with the second legs scheduled for March 18-19. The quarterfinal and semifinal draws will also be conducted on the same day, mapping out the road to the final.
2025-26 Champions League key dates
Round of 16: First legs: March 11-12 / Second legs: March 18-19
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
Liverpool now wait to discover whether their European campaign continues against Spanish steel or Turkish firepower. Friday’s draw will determine just how demanding their route to Budapest will be... and which city breaks the Reds fans can get to enjoy.
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