Draw, fixtures, scheduling

The most likely scenario is participation in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 play-offs, in which the teams ranked 9th to 24th in the final table will compete in home and away matches to determine eight additional participants in the knockout stage. These fixtures will be drawn on Friday, 30 January 2026, from 12:00 CET at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. The teams ranked 9th to 16th will play their first legs away on 17 or 18 February 2026. The second legs will be played a week later, on 24/25 February. The draw for the round of 16 will take place on 27 February.

This week (Thursday, 29 January), the UEFA Europa League will also conclude its group stage. The DFL (German Football League) will then know which of its participants are still represented in which branches of the international club competitions. The DFL has announced the exact dates for further Bundesliga matchdays – so far, they have been set until Matchday 24 at the end of February – for the sixth calendar week. They are expected to be published on . (br)