UCL 2026 Playoffs: All you need to know

By Enitan Abdultawab

The draw for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026, UEFA has confirmed.

Proceedings will begin at 12:00 CET (11:00 GMT) at the House of European Football in Nyon, with the draw streamed live for all football platforms to watch.

A total of 16 teams will take part in the play-offs, comprising clubs that finished ninth to 24th in the league phase. The top eight teams qualified automatically for the round of 16.

Teams involved

Seeded: Real Madrid (9th), Inter Milan (10th), Paris Saint-Germain (11th), Newcastle United (12th), Juventus (13th), Atletico Madrid (14th), Atalanta (15th) and Bayer Leverkusen (16th).

Unseeded: Borussia Dortmund (17th), Olympiacos (18th), Club Brugge (19th), Galatasaray (20th), Monaco (21st), Qarabağ (22nd), Bodø/Glimt (23rd) and Benfica (24th).

Read Also: Champions League: Qualified teams, playoff round draw, date, time

Draw format

Champions League teams are divided into seeded and unseeded groups based on league-phase standings. Seeded clubs finished between ninth and 16th, while unseeded teams placed 17th to 24th.

Clubs are paired within their groups and drawn against each other according to UEFA regulations:

Teams ranked 9th or 10th will face teams ranked 23rd or 24th.

11th or 12th vs 21st or 22nd.

13th or 14th vs 19th or 20th.

15th or 16th vs 17th or 18th.

Clubs from the same national association may face each other, and rematches from the league phase are permitted.

Afterwards, the matchup for the round of 16 would be as follows :

1st & 2nd in league phase vs. winner of 15/16 vs. 17/18

3rd & 4th in league phase vs. winner of 13/14 vs. 19/20

5th & 6th in league phase vs. winner of 11/12 vs. 21/22

7th & 8th in league phase vs. winner of 9/10 vs. 23/24

Match dates

Ties will be played over two legs, with seeded teams hosting the return fixtures.

First legs: February 17–18, 2026

Second legs: February 24–25, 2026

Each team is expected to play one match on a Tuesday and one on a Wednesday. Fixture adjustments due to stadium or city clashes will be confirmed by UEFA following the draw.

The eight winners will advance to the round of 16. The next draw is scheduled for Friday, February 27, 2026.

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