Round of 16 hopes on the line in Friday’s Nyon ceremonyChampions League Round of 16 playoff draw: Date, time, teams and where to watchUEFA will hold Champions League Round of 16 playoff draw on Frid...
Round of 16 hopes on the line in Friday’s Nyon ceremony
Champions League Round of 16 playoff draw: Date, time, teams and where to watch
UEFA will hold Champions League Round of 16 playoff draw on Friday 30 January 2026 in Nyon, Switzerland.
European football fans are watching closely as the league phase of the new UEFA Champions League system comes to an end in the 2025 /26 season.
Attention now turns to Nyon, Switzerland where UEFA will stage the draw for the Round of 16 playoff, a stage that has become major turning point under the new format.
This playoff round is the final chance for many top clubs to stay in the competition after failing to finish inside the top eight position.
How the Round of 16 playoff works
The revamped Champions League format has replaced the traditional group stage with expanded league table.
The top eight team qualify directly for the Round of 16
Teams finishing from 9th to 24th enter two leg knockout playoff
Only eight team will survive this extra round
This change has made the playoff round one of the most intense parts of the season, with big clubs now forced to play early knockout matches.
The confirmed clubs include mix of giants and surprise qualifiers:
- Real Madrid
- Paris Saint Germain
- Inter Milan
- Juventus
- Atletico Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund
- Benfica
- Atalanta
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Monaco
- Newcastle United
- Galatasaray
- Olympiacos
- Club Brugge
- Qarabağ
- FK Bodø/Glimt
Date, time and where to watch the draw
UEFA confirmed that the playoff draw will take place on:
- Friday 30 January 2026
- At UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland
- Kick-off time: 11:00 GMT
Fans can follow the draw live through:
- UEFA’s free stream on its official platforms
- beIN Sports News HD (open channel)
Seeded vs unseeded teams
The 16 team in this stage are divided into two pots:
- Seeded teams (9th to 16th)
- Unseeded teams (17th to 24th)
Seeded teams will have the advantage of playing second leg at home which can be decisive.
UEFA rules also allow clubs from the same domestic league to face each other in this playoff round meaning fans could see local derbies with European twist.
Match dates confirmed
UEFA has also set the schedule for the playoff ties:
- First legs: 17–18 February 2026
- Second legs: 24–25 February 2026
The lower ranked teams will host the first match while seeded teams play the return leg at home.
Category: General Sports
