The UEFA Champions League round of 16 draw will be held on Friday, February 27, 2026, at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. The event is scheduled for 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, 11:00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time and 12:00 p.m. Central European Time.
Once completed, the ceremony will confirm every matchup in the first knockout stage and reveal the projected route to the final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on May 30, 2026.
Play-off ties wrapped up earlier this week, finalizing the 16 clubs that remain in contention. With that phase closed, attention shifts fully to the bracket reveal.
Clubs Advancing to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16
Half of the remaining field secured direct qualification by finishing inside the top eight during the league phase. Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, FC Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, and Manchester City earned seeded status through those results.
The other eight sides advanced through the additional play-off round. Atalanta, Atlético Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Bodo/Glimt, Galatasaray, Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid claimed the remaining spots.
Under UEFA Champions League regulations for this stage, seeded teams will host the decisive second leg at their home stadiums. That format applies across every round of 16 tie and often shapes how clubs approach the opening leg.
Format Rules for the UEFA Champions League Draw
The competition continues under the revised 2025/26 structure introduced by UEFA. Final league phase rankings determine pairing groups before the draw even begins. Teams finishing first and second are linked, as are third and fourth, fifth and sixth, and seventh and eighth.
Those ranking pairs are slotted into specific sections of the knockout bracket. Each group will be matched with designated play-off qualifiers. As a result, the UEFA Champions League draw does not begin with a completely open field, since parts of the bracket are already defined.
There are no nationality restrictions at this stage. Clubs from the same domestic league are eligible to meet immediately. Teams may also be drawn against opponents they faced earlier in the league phase.
When the ceremony concludes, the quarterfinal and semifinal pathways will also be established, offering supporters a clear picture of potential matchups all the way to Budapest.
UEFA Champions League Knockout Timeline
The first legs of the round of 16 are set for March 10 and 11, 2026. Return fixtures will follow on March 17 and 18. Quarterfinal action begins April 7 and 8, with second legs on April 14 and 15.
Semifinal first legs are scheduled for April 28 and 29. The return matches will take place on May 5 and 6. The season concludes with a single-match final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on May 30, 2026.
Early bracket projections indicate that Real Madrid will meet either Manchester City or Sporting CP. Paris Saint-Germain is aligned with FC Barcelona or Chelsea. Liverpool will draw Atlético Madrid or Galatasaray, while Arsenal or Bayern Munich will face Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen.
Live coverage of the UEFA Champions League draw will be available online at UEFA.com and on Paramount+.
UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw Sets Knockout Bracket