Champions League Round of 16 Set: Draw Date, Qualified Teams, and Potential Matchups

The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League is nearing its knockout stage, with the Round of 16 lineup taking shape after the completion of the league phase and playoff rounds. The draw, which will determine the matchups for the next phase of the competition, is scheduled for February 27th.

Teams Qualified Directly to the Round of 16

Eight teams secured their places in the Round of 16 based on their performance during the league phase:

• Arsenal
• Bayern Munich
• Liverpool
• Tottenham
• Barcelona
• Chelsea
• Sporting CP
• Manchester City

Playoff Round Winners

The first leg matches of the playoff round concluded on February 24th, confirming four additional teams for the Round of 16:

• Atlético Madrid
• Bodø/Glimt
• Newcastle
• Bayer Leverkusen

Potential Round of 16 Matchups

Based on the current standings, here are some potential matchups that could emerge from the draw:

• Barcelona or Chelsea vs. Winner of Monaco vs PSG
• Liverpool or Tottenham vs. Winner of Galatasaray vs Juventus
• Sporting CP or Manchester City vs. Winner of Benfica vs Real Madrid
• Arsenal or Bayern Munich vs. Winner of Dortmund vs Atalanta
• Chelsea or Barcelona vs Newcastle
• Tottenham or Liverpool vs Atlético de Madrid
• Manchester City or Sporting CP vs Bodø/Glimt
• Bayern Munich or Arsenal vs Leverkusen

Draw Details

The Round of 16 draw, along with the draws for the Quarterfinals and Semifinals, will take place on Friday, February 27th at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, at 5:00 a.m. (Mexico time). USA Today reports that UEFA’s final draw will determine the round of 16 matchups and the full path to the final.

2026 Champions League Final

The final of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League will be held on May 30, 2026, at Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. UEFA confirms this will be the first time Puskás Aréna hosts a Champions League final. The stadium previously hosted the 2020 UEFA Super Cup, several matches of UEFA Euro 2020, and the 2023 UEFA Europa League final.

Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid is currently the top scorer in the tournament with 13 goals as of February 24, 2026. UEFA