Champions League knockout play-offs draw: date, time, format, match schedule, live streaming information

The UEFA Champions League play-off fixtures conclude on Friday, with 16 teams competing for eight places in the round of 16.

Under the new competition format, the top eight will qualify directly for the pre-quarter-finals at the end of the competition phase. The teams ranked ninth through 24th will then play double knockouts to confirm the remaining eight teams.

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

The following teams have qualified for the knockout stages so far:

• Arsenal (England)

• ​Bayern ⁠Munich (Germany)

• Liverpool (England)

• Tottenham Hotspur (England)

• FC Barcelona (Spain)

• Chelsea (England)

• Sporty (Portugal)

• Manchester City (England)

Which teams can qualify?

Seeded teams:

• Real ‍Madrid (Spain)

• Inter Milan (Italy)

• Paris St. ‍Germain (France)

• Newcastle United (England)

• Juventus (Italy)

• Atletico Madrid (Spain)

• Atalanta (Italy)

• Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)

Unseeded teams:

• Borussia ⁠Dortmund (Germany)

• Olympiakos (Greece)

• Club Brugge (Belgium)

• Galatasaray (Turkey)

• AS Monaco (France)

• ⁠Qarabag (Azerbaijan)

• Bodo/Glimt (Norway)

• Benfica (Portugal)

What is the seeding system?

From the 2024–25 season, the Champions League seeding system was introduced, which ensures that higher-ranked teams from the league stage do not face each other in the knockout play-off round.

How does the draw work?

All 16 teams are paired according to their final position in the competition phase: Real Madrid (ninth) is paired with Inter Milan (10th), Paris Saint-Germain (11th) with Newcastle United (12th).

From the eight unseeded teams, a team is drawn first, which goes to the first half of the bracket, and the other club in the pair goes to the second half.

The process is then repeated for seeded teams. This finally completes the matches of the knockout play-off round. The ranked clubs will play the second leg at home.

When and where is the draw for the knockout play-off round?

The draw for the knockout play-off round will take place on Friday, January 30 at 6:00 AM ET (11:00 AM GMT, 4:30 PM IST) at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.

How to watch the UEFA Champions League knockout play-off round draw?

The draw for the knockout play-off round can be streamed live on UEFA.com and the official UEFA Champions League app.

Published on January 30, 2026