The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League is now entering the Round of 16, with the knockout stages set to provide plenty of drama. Here’s a complete guide to who remains in the competition, key dates, and potential matchups.

Champions League draws

The league phase draw took place on August 28, 2025, in Monaco. The 36 qualified teams were split into four pots of nine based on their UEFA club coefficient. Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain were automatically seeded in Pot 1.

Teams played eight matches each — two against opponents from each of the four pots (home and away). Clubs from the same association could not face each other more than twice.

The knockout play-off draw was held on January 30, 2026, for clubs finishing 9th to 24th in the league phase. The final draw for the Round of 16 and beyond takes place on Friday, February 27, streamed live on UEFA.com and the official Champions League app.

Top eight sides from the league phase (seeded)

1. Arsenal
2. Bayern Munich
3. Liverpool
4. Tottenham Hotspur
5. Barcelona
6. Chelsea
7. Sporting CP
8. Manchester City

These teams advanced directly to the Round of 16.

Knockout play-off winners (unseeded)

• Real Madrid
• Paris Saint-Germain
• Newcastle United
• Atletico Madrid
• Atalanta
• Bayer Leverkusen
• Galatasaray
• Bodo/Glimt

Knockout play-off round results:

• Real Madrid 3-1 Benfica
• Inter Milan 2-5 Bodo/Glimt
• PSG 5-4 Monaco
• Newcastle 9-3 Qarabag
• Juventus 5-7 Galatasaray
• Atletico Madrid 7-4 Club Brugge
• Atalanta 4-3 Borussia Dortmund
• Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Olympiacos

Round of 16 fixtures

• PSG vs Chelsea
• Galatasaray vs Liverpool
• Real Madrid vs Manchester City
• Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
• Newcastle vs Barcelona
• Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur
• Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting CP
• Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal

Potential quarter-final ties

• QF1: PSG/Chelsea vs Liverpool/Galatasaray
• QF2: Real Madrid/Manchester City vs Atalanta/Bayern Munich
• QF3: Newcastle/Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid/Tottenham Hotspur
• QF4: Bodo/Glimt/Sporting vs Bayer Leverkusen/Arsenal

Potential semi-finals:

• Winner QF1 vs Winner QF2
• Winner QF3 vs Winner QF4

Teams eliminated so far (alphabetical)

Ajax, Athletic Club, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Club Brugge, Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Copenhagen, Inter Milan, Juventus, Kairat Almaty, Marseille, Monaco, Napoli, Olympiacos, Pafos, PSV Eindhoven, Qarabag, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Slavia Prague, Villarreal

Key dates for 2025/26 UEFA Champions League

• League phase first matchday: September 16–18, 2025
• League phase last matchday: January 28, 2026
• Knockout play-off draw: January 30, 2026
• Knockout play-offs: February 17–18 (first legs), February 24–25 (second legs)
• Final draw (Round of 16+): February 27, 2026
• Round of 16: March 10–11 (first legs), March 17–18 (second legs)
• Quarter-finals: April 7–8 (first legs), April 14–15 (second legs)
• Semi-finals: April 28–29 (first legs), May 5–6 (second legs)
• Final: May 30, 2026

2025/26 Champions League final

The final will take place on May 30, 2026, at the Puskas Arena, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 67,215. It is the first time the Champions League final will be held in Hungary.

UEFA Champions League format

This season features the 36-team league phase, replacing the old 32-team group stage. Each team plays eight games.

• Top 8 teams automatically qualify for the Round of 16.
• Bottom 8 teams are eliminated from Europe entirely.
• Teams finishing 9th–24th enter the knockout play-offs to determine the remaining eight spots in the Round of 16.
• The Round of 16 pairs seeded teams against unseeded teams.
• Quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final follow standard knockout rules.

The tournament structure allows fans to track potential pathways all the way to Budapest, where the 2025/26 final will crown Europe’s best club.