The UEFA Champions League is nearing an exciting conclusion to its playoff round, with four crucial matches scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 2026. After the final whistle, four teams will secure their spots in the coveted round of 16, joining four others that earned qualification on Tuesday, February 24.
As the tournament progresses, attention turns to the upcoming draw set for Friday, February 27, where fans will learn which teams will clash in the first knockout stage. The draw will be held at 6 a.m. ET at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, and will be accessible via live streams on UEFA.com, UEFA.tv, and the official UEFA Champions League app.
The mechanics of the draw are designed for excitement and anticipation. The eight teams emerging from the playoff round will enter the draw with particular awareness of their potential matchups. For instance, Newcastle knows it could face only Chelsea or Barcelona. The teams that finished in the top eight of the league phase will be seeded, granting them home advantage for the second leg of their last-16 ties. Importantly, teams can be matched against rivals from their own country or those they have already met in the league stage.
This Friday’s draw is significant as it will be the final one for this year’s Champions League. Following the round of 16 draw, the teams will be placed in a complete bracket that will outline their potential matchups for the remainder of the tournament.
As for the knockout playoffs, the aggregate scores heading into the final matches are as follows: PSG leads Monaco 3-2, Juventus is trailing Galatasaray 2-5, and Real Madrid is ahead of Benfica 1-0. Atalanta has already secured their place in the round of 16 with a 4-3 victory over Borussia Dortmund.
The prospective pairings for the round of 16 include teams with rich histories such as PSG, Juventus, Real Madrid, and Atalanta facing formidable opponents such as Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City.
Looking ahead, the schedule for the knockout rounds is set, with the round of 16 matches slated for March 10-11 and 17-18. The quarterfinals will follow on April 7-8 and 14-15, leading up to the semifinals on April 28-29 and May 5-6, culminating in the grand finale. The 2026 Champions League final will be hosted at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30, with kickoff at 12 p.m. ET, promising to be an unforgettable event for football enthusiasts worldwide.