The change in UEFA Champions League format has altered the way the knockout stage is structured in a significant way.
After the thrilling conclusion to the 2025/26 league phase, which saw clubs jockeying for position until the final kick of the final match, the spotlight now turns to the knockout stage where 24 teams will battle for European supremacy.
The top eight finishers in the league phase advance straight to the Round of 16, while the sixteen teams below them will contest a two-legged playoff round to determine the other eight qualifiers.
The Sporting News details exactly how the matchups are decided, who can play who, and where each team’s pathway to Champions League glory can be drawn.
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Champions League bracket, explained
In the new Champions League format, which follows what is known as the Swiss Model, the knockout-stage bracket is largely predetermined by final league-phase positions, although not entirely.
There will be a draw following the league phase (taking place on Friday, January 30 this year) to set the playoff-round matchups, and then another draw prior to the Round of 16 to set the entire rest of the bracket.
In both the knockout playoffs and the Round of 16, each qualifier has only two possible opponents against whom they can be drawn.
Possible opponents for every team in knockout playoffs
In the Champions League knockout playoffs, the top qualifiers from the league phase are drawn against the lowest-finishing qualifiers, and so on.
The matchups are as follows:
- 9th & 10th vs. 23rd & 24th
- 11th & 12th vs. 21st & 22nd
- 13th & 14th vs. 19th & 20th
- 15th & 16th vs. 17th & 18th
The table below shows how the seeding works in the Champions League knockout-playoff round for the 2025/26 season.
| League phase pos. | Possible opponents |
| 9th (Real Madrid) | 23rd (Bodo/Glimt) or 24th (Benfica) |
| 10th (Inter Milan) | 23rd (Bodo/Glimt) or 24th (Benfica) |
| 11th (PSG) | 21st (Monaco) or 22nd (Qarabag) |
| 12th (Newcastle United) | 21st (Monaco) or 22nd (Qarabag) |
| 13th (Juventus) | 19th (Club Brugge) or 20th (Galatasaray) |
| 14th (Atletico Madrid) | 19th (Club Brugge) or 20th (Galatasaray) |
| 15th (Atalanta) | 17th (Borussia Dortmund) or 18th (Olympiacos) |
| 16th (Bayer Leverkusen) | 17th (Borussia Dortmund) or 18th (Olympiacos) |
| 17th (Borussia Dortmund) | 15th (Atalanta) or 16th (Bayer Leverkusen) |
| 18th (Olympiacos) | 15th (Atalanta) or 16th (Bayer Leverkusen) |
| 19th (Club Brugge) | 13th (Juventus) or 14th (Atletico Madrid) |
| 20th (Galatasaray) | 13th (Juventus) or 14th (Atletico Madrid) |
| 21st (AS Monaco) | 11th (PSG) or 12th (Newcastle) |
| 22nd (Qarabag) | 11th (PSG) or 12th (Newcastle) |
| 23rd (Bodo/Glimt) | 9th (Real Madrid) or 10th (Inter Milan) |
| 24th (Benfica) | 9th (Real Madrid) or 10th (Inter Milan) |
Possible opponents for every team in Round of 16
In the Champions League Round of 16, the eight winners from the knockout playoffs are drawn against the top eight finishers from the league phase, again according to those final positions.
The matchups are 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
The table below shows how the seeding works in the Champions League Round of 16 for the 2025/26 season.
| League phase pos. | Possible opponents |
| 1st (Arsenal) | 15/16 (Atalanta/Bayer Leverkusen) or 17/18 (Borussia Dortmund/Olympiacos) |
| 2nd (Bayern Munich) | 15/16 (Atalanta/Bayer Leverkusen) or 17/18 (Borussia Dortmund/Olympiacos) |
| 3rd (Liverpool) | 13/14 (Juventus/Atletico Madrid) or 19/20 (Club Brugge/Galatasaray) |
| 4th (Tottenham) | 13/14 (Juventus/Atletico Madrid) or 19/20 (Club Brugge/Galatasaray) |
| 5th (Barcelona) | 11/12 (PSG/Newcastle United) or 21/22 (Monaco/Qarabag) |
| 6th (Chelsea) | 11/12 (PSG/Newcastle United) or 21/22 (Monaco/Qarabag) |
| 7th (Sporting CP) | 9/10 (Real Madrid/Inter Milan) or 23/24 (Bodo/Glimt/Benfica) |
| 8th (Man City) | 9/10 (Real Madrid/Inter Milan) or 23/24 (Bodo/Glimt/Benfica) |
Champions League knockout bracket, matchups for 2025/26
The schedule and matchups for the 2025/26 Champions League knockout playoffs will be set at the draw on Friday, January 30.
Following that round, the schedule and matchups for the rest of the Champions League knockout phase will be determined at the Round of 16 draw on February 27. There will be no further draws from that point on, as the entirety of the bracket will be set at that point.
2025/26 Champions League knockout stage schedule
Playoff Round — 1st leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Feb. 17-18 | KO1: 23 (Bodo/Glimt) or 24 (Benfica) vs. 9 (Real Madrid) or 10 (Inter Milan) | ||
| Feb. 17-18 | KO2: 23 (Bodo/Glimt) or 24 (Benfica) vs. 9 (Real Madrid) or 10 (Inter Milan) | ||
| Feb. 17-18 | KO3: 21 (Monaco) or 22 (Qarabag) vs. 11 (PSG) or 12 (Newcastle) | ||
| Feb. 17-18 | KO4: 21 (Monaco) or 22 (Qarabag) vs. 11 (PSG) or 12 (Newcastle) | ||
| Feb. 17-18 | KO5: 19 (Club Brugge) or 20 (Galatasaray) vs. 13 (Juventus) or 14 (Atletico Madrid) | ||
| Feb. 17-18 | KO6: 19 (Club Brugge) or 20 (Galatasaray) vs. 13 (Juventus) or 14 (Atletico Madrid) | ||
| Feb. 17-18 | KO7: 17 (Dortmund) or 18 (Olympiacos) vs. 15 (Atalanta) or 16 (Leverkusen) | ||
| Feb. 17-18 | KO8: 17 (Dortmund) or 18 (Olympiacos) vs. 15 (Atalanta) or 16 (Leverkusen) |
Playoff Round — 2nd leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Feb. 24-25 | KO1: 9 (Real Madrid) or 10 (Inter Milan) vs. 23 (Bodo/Glimt) or 24 (Benfica) | ||
| Feb. 24-25 | KO2: 9 (Real Madrid) or 10 (Inter Milan) vs. 23 (Bodo/Glimt) or 24 (Benfica) | ||
| Feb. 24-25 | KO3: 11 (PSG) or 12 (Newcastle) vs. 21 (AS Monaco) or 22 (Qarabag) | ||
| Feb. 24-25 | KO4: 11 (PSG) or 12 (Newcastle) vs. 21 (AS Monaco) or 22 (Qarabag) | ||
| Feb. 24-25 | KO5: 13 (Juventus) or 14 (Atletico Madrid) vs. 19 (Club Brugge) or 20 (Galatasaray) | ||
| Feb. 24-25 | KO6: 13 (Juventus) or 14 (Atletico Madrid) vs. 19 (Club Brugge) or 20 (Galatasaray) | ||
| Feb. 24-25 | KO7: 15 (Atalanta) or 16 (Leverkusen) vs. 17 (Dortmund) or 18 (Olympiacos) | ||
| Feb. 24-25 | KO8: 15 (Atalanta) or 16 (Leverkusen) vs. 17 (Dortmund) or 18 (Olympiacos) |
Round of 16 — 1st leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Mar. 10-11 | M1: Winner KO8 vs. Arsenal or Bayern Munich | ||
| Mar. 10-11 | M2: Winner KO7 vs. Arsenal or Bayern Munich | ||
| Mar. 10-11 | M3: Winner KO6 vs. Liverpool or Tottenham | ||
| Mar. 10-11 | M4: Winner KO5 vs. Liverpool or Tottenham | ||
| Mar. 10-11 | M5: Winner KO4 vs. Barcelona or Chelsea | ||
| Mar. 10-11 | M6: Winner KO3 vs. Liverpool or Tottenham | ||
| Mar. 10-11 | M7: Winner KO2 vs. Sporting CP or Man City | ||
| Mar. 10-11 | M8: Winner KO1 vs. Sporting CP or Man City |
Round of 16 — 2nd leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Mar. 17-18 | M1: Arsenal or Bayern Munich vs. Winner KO8 | ||
| Mar. 17-18 | M2: Arsenal or Bayern Munich vs. Winner KO7 | ||
| Mar. 17-18 | M3: Liverpool or Tottenham vs. Winner KO6 | ||
| Mar. 17-18 | M4: Liverpool or Tottenham vs. Winner KO5 | ||
| Mar. 17-18 | M5: Barcelona or Chelsea vs. Winner KO4 | ||
| Mar. 17-18 | M6: Liverpool or Tottenham vs. Winner KO3 | ||
| Mar. 17-18 | M7: Sporting CP or Man City vs. Winner KO2 | ||
| Mar. 17-18 | M8: Sporting CP or Man City vs. Winner KO1 |
Quarterfinals — 1st leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Apr. 7-8 | QF1: Winner, M1 vs. Winner, M8 | ||
| Apr. 7-8 | QF2: Winner, M2 vs. Winner, M7 | ||
| Apr. 7-8 | QF3: Winner, M3 vs. Winner, M6 | ||
| Apr. 7-8 | QF4: Winner, M4 vs. Winner, M5 |
Quarterfinals — 2nd leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Apr. 14-15 | QF1: Winner, M1 vs. Winner, M8 | ||
| Apr. 14-15 | QF2: Winner, M2 vs. Winner, M7 | ||
| Apr. 14-15 | QF3: Winner, M3 vs. Winner, M6 | ||
| Apr. 14-15 | QF4: Winner, M4 vs. Winner, M5 |
Quarterfinals — 2nd leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Apr. 14-15 | QF1: Winner, M1 vs. Winner, M8 | ||
| Apr. 14-15 | QF2: Winner, M2 vs. Winner, M7 | ||
| Apr. 14-15 | QF3: Winner, M3 vs. Winner, M6 | ||
| Apr. 14-15 | QF4: Winner, M4 vs. Winner, M5 |
Semifinals — 1st leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Apr. 28-29 | SF1: Winner, QF1 vs. Winner, QF4 | ||
| Apr. 28-29 | SF2: Winner, QF2 vs. Winner, QF3 |
Semifinals — 2nd leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| May 5-6 | SF1: Winner, QF1 vs. Winner, QF4 | ||
| May 5-6 | SF2: Winner, QF2 vs. Winner, QF3 |
Champions League final
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| May 30 | 3 p.m. | SF1: Winner, SF1 vs. Winner, SF2 | Puskas Arena (Budapest, Hungary) |
