The conclusion of the 2025-26 Champions League 'league phase' brought plenty of drama and heroics, with Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin's last-gasp goal against Real Madrid, which ensured Jose Mourinho's side progressed, undoubtedly being the standout moment of the final matchday.
We now know the identity of the 24 teams in the knockout bracket, with 16 teams set to contest the play-off round for a chance to join the top eight teams in the last 16.
So, when is the draw, how can you watch it all live and what are the seeding pairings? GOAL brings you everything you need to know.
Champions League draw date, start time & how to watch live
| Date: | January 30, 2026 |
| Time: | 11am GMT / 6am ET |
| Stream: | uefa.com / TNT Sports / Paramount+ |
Following the conclusion of the 2025-26 'league phase', the draw for the Champions League knockout phase takes place on Friday January 30, 2026.
It will be held at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland and the draw is expected to start at approximately 11am GMT for fans in the United Kingdom and 6am ET for fans based in the United States (an early start indeed).
READ MORE: Winners & losers of the UCL league phase
The draw will be available to stream live for free on UEFA's official website (uefa.com) and the UEFA Champions League app. As ever, it will also be broadcast live on UEFA's official partner networks.
In the UK, TNT Sports will carry the draw, with a free stream available on its official YouTube channel, and in the U.S. it will be available to stream via Paramount+.
Seeding for the Champions League knockout phase draw
Knockout phase play-off round format
Teams that finished in positions nine to 16 are seeded for the knockout play-off round, while those that finished in positions 17 to 24 are unseeded.
The seeded teams are split into four pairs based on their league rank and the unseeded teams are also clustered into four pairs based on their league rank. The draw will determine who faces who.
You can see the various pairings below. So, as an example If Real Madrid happen to be drawn against Bodo/Glimt, Inter will necessarily face Benfica. Likewise, if Newcastle United are drawn against Qarabag, then PSG will play Monaco. It is not possible to be drawn against a team from a different pairing, so Real Madrid will not play Borussia Dortmund, for example, since Dortmund can only get either Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen.
| Seeded pair | Unseeded pair | |
|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid (9) or Inter (10) | vs | Bodo/Glimt (23) or Benfica (24) |
| PSG (11) or Newcastle United (12) | vs | Monaco (21) or Qarabag (22) |
| Juventus (13) or Atletico Madrid (14) | vs | Club Brugge (19) or Galatasaray (20) |
| Atalanta (15) or Bayer Leverkusen (16) | vs | Borussia Dortmund (17) or Olympiacos (18) |
READ MORE: GOAL's Team of the UCL league phase
Round of 16 format
Teams that finished in positions one to eight in the league phase advance to the round of 16 and are seeded for that stage. The winners of the eight knockout phase play-off ties will be unseeded for the round of 16. Here is how the round of 16 is poised:
*Key: Seeded: Bold | Unseeded: ltalic
- Monaco or Qarabag / PSG or Newcastle vs Barcelona or Chelsea
- Club Brugge or Galatasaray / Juventus or Atletico vs Liverpool or Tottenham
- Bodo/Glimt or Benfica / Real Madrid or Inter vs Sporting or Manchester City
- Borussia Dortmund or Olympiacos / Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal or Bayern Munich
- Qarabag or Monaco / Newcastle or PSG vs Chelsea or Barcelona
- Galatasaray or Club Brugge / Atletico or Juventus vs Tottenham or Liverpool
- Benfica or Bodo/Glimt / Inter or Real Madrid vs Manchester City or Sporting
- Olympiacos or Borussia Dortmund / Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta vs Bayern Munich or Arsenal
Champions League knockout phase bracket 2025-26
UEFA has produced a handy graphic depicting the knockout phase bracket, which you can see below.
UEFA
Are there restrictions for Champions League knockout phase draw?
There are no restrictions in place for the knockout phase, meaning teams from the same national association can meet at this point in the competition.
Furthermore, teams can also be drawn against a team that they have already played in the previous stage.
When will the Champions League knockout games be played?
The knockout phase play-off games will take place across two legs, on February 17/18 and February 24/25, 2026.
The round of 16 will also feature two legs, with games scheduled for March 10/11 and March 17/18, 2026.
Here is the full schedule:
| Stage | Date(s) |
|---|---|
| Knockout phase play-offs | Feb 17/18 & Feb 24/25, 2026 |
| Round of 16 | Mar 10/11 & Mar 17/18, 2026 |
| Quarter-finals | Apr 7/8 & April 14/15, 2026 |
| Semi-finals | Apr 28/29 & May 5/6, 2026 |
| Final | May 30, 2026 |