Champions League Knockout Play-off Draw: What You Need to Know
Everything you need to know as 16 teams battle for a place in the last 16
Champions League League Phase Concludes
The Champions League league phase has officially come to an end, confirming the eight teams that have directly qualified for the round of 16. However, 16 other clubs must now navigate an additional hurdle — the knockout phase play-offs — to keep their European hopes alive.
The top eight teams already through are Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting and Manchester City.
How Do the Knockout Play-offs Work?
Teams that finished 9th to 24th in the league phase will compete in two-legged play-off ties, with the eight winners advancing to the round of 16 as unseeded teams.
Each club already knows its potential opponents based on league position. For example:
• Teams finishing 9th and 10th will face one of the teams finishing 23rd or 24th
• 11th and 12th will face 21st or 22nd, and so on
The exact pairings will be confirmed during the draw.
Teams from the same national association can face each other, and teams who already met during the league phase may be drawn together again.
READ MORE; Champions League 2025/26 Knockout Play-Off Draw Confirmed
When Is the Champions League Play-off Draw?
The knockout phase play-off draw will take place on:
📅 Friday, January 30
📍 UEFA headquarters, Switzerland
⏰ 11:00am (local time)
The ceremony may begin slightly later due to formalities and presentations.
Teams Involved in the Play-offs
Teams Battling for Last-16 Spot
- 9️⃣ 🇪🇸 Real Madrid
- 🔟 🇮🇹 Inter Milan
- 1️⃣1️⃣ 🇫🇷 Paris Saint-Germain
- 1️⃣2️⃣ 🏴 Newcastle United
- 1️⃣3️⃣ 🇮🇹 Juventus
- 1️⃣4️⃣ 🇪🇸 Atletico Madrid
- 1️⃣5️⃣ 🇮🇹 Atalanta
- 1️⃣6️⃣ 🇩🇪 Bayer Leverkusen
- 1️⃣7️⃣ 🇩🇪 Borussia Dortmund
- 1️⃣8️⃣ 🇬🇷 Olympiakos
- 1️⃣9️⃣ 🇧🇪 Club Brugge
- 2️⃣0️⃣ 🇹🇷 Galatasaray
- 2️⃣1️⃣ 🇫🇷 Monaco
- 2️⃣2️⃣ 🇦🇿 Qarabag
- 2️⃣3️⃣ 🇳🇴 Bodo/Glimt
- 2️⃣4️⃣ 🇵🇹 Benfica
Newcastle United, for example, will face either Qarabag or Monaco, with the winner later meeting Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16.
When Will the Play-off Matches Be Played?
The two-legged ties will be played across two midweeks in February:
📆 February 17–18
📆 February 24–25
When Is the Last-16 Draw?
Following the conclusion of the play-offs, UEFA will conduct the draw for:
• Round of 16
• Quarter-finals
• Semi-finals
📅 February 27
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