The regular phase of the Champions League concluded this Wednesday and there the eight teams that qualified directly to the round of 16 and the 16 that will compete in the playoffs were met. These previous crossings will be defined once the draw is carried out, for which we will not have to wait long. Below, its format, when it is, what time it will take place and how to watch it live.
Day, time and TV of the Champions League playoff draw
The draw for the Champions League playoffs will take place this Friday, January 30 at 08:00 (Argentine time) in Nyon, Switzerland. It can be followed through the official website of the UEFA (uefa.com).
The format of the Champions League playoffs
The clubs will be paired based on their position at the end of the league phase to form four seeded pairs (clubs in positions 9 and 10, 11 and 12, 13 and 14, and 15 and 16) and four unseeded couples (teams in positions 17 and 18, 19 and 20, 21 and 22, and 23 and 24).
Once separated, the clubs of each seeded pair will be paired in the matches against the clubs of each unseeded pair. Thus, clubs 9 or 10 will go against clubs 23 or 24; clubs 11 or 12 against clubs 21 or 22; the 13 or 14 clubs against the 19 or 20 clubs and the 15 or 16 clubs against the 17 or 18 clubs.
In these matches there will be no restrictions of any kind, that is, teams can face another from the same national federation and even teams they have played against in the league phase.
The matches will be round-trip and the seeded team will be able to define the series as a home match. In principle, each club will play one game on Tuesday and another on Wednesday.
Those classified for the round of 16 and the playoffs with their position in the table
To eighths: Arsenal 1°, Bayern 2°, Liverpool 3°, Tottenham 4°, Barcelona 5°, Chelsea 6°, Sporting Lisbon 7° and Manchester City 8°.
A los playoffs: Real Madrid 9°, Inter 10°, PSG 11°, Newcastle 12°, Juventus 13°, Atlético de Madrid 14°, Atalanta 15°, Bayer Leverkusen 16°, Borussia Dortmund 17°, Olympiacos 18°, Bruges 19°, Galatasaray 20°, Monaco 21°, Qarabag 22°, Bodo/Glimt 23rd and Benfica 24th.
Eliminated: Olympique de Marsella, Pafos, Union St. Gilloise, PSV, Athletic Bilbao, Napoli, Copenhague, Ajax, Slavia Prague, Villarreal and Kairat.
The round of 16
Now, what will happen to teams 1 to 8? Those classified for the round of 16 will wait for the results of the playoffs, with four possible rivals (from the pairings).
For example, PSG (11th) or Newcastle (12th) will go in the playoffs against Monaco or Qarabag and in the round of 16, if they pass, against Barcelona (5th) or Chelsea (6th). Juventus (13th) and Atlético de Madrid (14th)? Against Bruges (19th) or Galatasaray (20th) in the playoffs and, if they continue, against Liverpool (3rd) or Tottenham (4th).
Further? Real Madrid (9th) and Inter (10th) against Bodo/Glimt (23rd) or Benfica (24th) in the playoffs. And from here they will go against Sporting Lisbon (7th) or City (8th).
Once the playoffs are over, with their winners, the round of 16 will be drawn. That will be on February 27.
Dates
Elimination play-offs: February 17/18 and 24/25, 2026
Draw for round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals: February 27, 2026
Round of 16: 10/11 and 17/18 March 2026
Quarter finals: April 7/8 and 14/15, 2026
Semifinals: April 28/29 and May 5/6, 2026
Final: May 30, 2026 (Budapest)
