By Gran Chico | February 27, 2026
The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw took place on 27 February 2026 at the House of European Football, setting the stage for a thrilling knockout phase in the 2025/26 season.
The draw followed the conclusion of the knockout play-offs on 25 February and, crucially, mapped out the entire bracket all the way to the final, with no further redraws. The top eight teams from the league phase entered as seeded sides and will host the second leg, while the eight play-off winners were unseeded and will host the opening leg.
There were notable shocks heading into the draw, including the surprise eliminations of Inter Milan and Juventus, underlining the ruthless nature of the revamped competition format.
Seeded and Unseeded Teams
The seeded teams from the league phase top eight are Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Sporting CP, and Tottenham Hotspur.
The unseeded play-off winners are Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Atalanta, Newcastle United, Atlético Madrid, Bodø/Glimt, Galatasaray, and Bayer Leverkusen.
Round of 16 Ties
The Round of 16 will be played over two legs, with first legs on 10–11 March and return legs on 17–18 March 2026:
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Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea – first leg at the Parc des Princes, second at Stamford Bridge
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Galatasaray vs Liverpool – opening at Rams Park, return at Anfield
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Real Madrid vs Manchester City – first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, second at the Etihad Stadium
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Atalanta vs Bayern Munich – starting in Bergamo and concluding at the Allianz Arena
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Newcastle United vs Barcelona – first leg at St James’ Park, second at Camp Nou
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Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur – opening at the Metropolitano Stadium, finishing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
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Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting CP – first leg at Aspmyra Stadion, return at Estádio José Alvalade
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Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal – opening at the BayArena, second leg at the Emirates Stadium
Road to Budapest Locked In
With the bracket now fully set through the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the path to the final is crystal clear. Notably, the winner of the Real Madrid–Manchester City tie sits in a different half of the draw from the PSG–Chelsea survivor, adding intrigue to the race for the trophy.
Key dates ahead include the Round of 16 in March, quarter-finals in April, semi-finals in late April or early May, and the final on 30 May 2026 at the Puskás Aréna.
Storylines to Watch
The draw has delivered early heavyweight clashes—most notably Real Madrid versus Manchester City—alongside potential fairytale runs from Bodø/Glimt, Newcastle United and Galatasaray. Tactical duels, electric atmospheres in Istanbul and Newcastle, and a fully mapped road to Budapest ensure the knockout stage is primed for drama.
The countdown to March is on, and Europe’s biggest club competition is ready to explode.
