Champions League Knockout Phase Play-off Draw: Dates, Live Stream, Seeding & Format Explained
With the teams narrowed down, the knockout phase of the Champions League has come into view. Here's your complete guide to the upcoming draw. The draw for the knockout phase of the 2025-26 Champions League is set to take place, unveiling the matchups as teams vie for a spot in the round of 16.

With the teams narrowed down, the knockout phase of the Champions League has come into view. Here's your complete guide to the upcoming draw.The conclusion of the 2025-26 Champions League 'league phase' brought plenty of drama and heroics, with Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin's last-gasp goal against Real Madrid, which ensured Jose Mourinho's side progressed, undoubtedly being the standout moment of the final matchday.We now know the identity of the 24 teams in the knockout bracket, with 16 teams set to contest the play-off round for a chance to join the top eight teams in the last 16.So, when is the draw, how can you watch it all live and what are the seeding pairings? GOAL brings you everything you need to know.Following the conclusion of the 2025-26 'league phase', the draw for the Champions League knockout phase takes place on Friday January 30, 2026.It will be held at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland and the draw is expected to start at approximately 11am GMT for fans in the United Kingdom and 6am ET for fans based in the United States (an early start indeed).READ MORE: Winners & losers of the UCL league phaseThe draw will be available to stream live for free on UEFA's official website (uefa.com) and the UEFA Champions League app. As ever, it will also be broadcast live on UEFA's official partner networks. In the UK, TNT Sports will carry the draw, with a free stream available on its official YouTube channel, and in the U.S. it will be available to stream via Paramount+.Teams that finished in positions nine to 16 are seeded for the knockout play-off round, while those that finished in positions 17 to 24 are unseeded.The seeded teams are split into four pairs based on their league rank and the unseeded teams are also clustered into four pairs based on their league rank. The draw will determine who faces who. You can see the various pairings below. So, as an example If Real Madrid happen to be drawn against Bodo/Glimt, Inter will necessarily face Benfica. Likewise, if Newcastle United are drawn against Qarabag, then PSG will play Monaco. It is not possible to be drawn against a team from a different pairing, so Real Madrid will not play Borussia Dortmund, for example, since Dortmund can only get either Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen.READ MORE: GOAL's Team of the UCL league phaseTeams that finished in positions one to eight in the league phase advance to the round of 16 and are seeded for that stage. The winners of the eight knockout phase play-off ties will be unseeded for the round of 16. Here is how the round of 16 is poised:*Key: Seeded: Bold | Unseeded: ltalicUEFA has produced a handy graphic depicting the knockout phase bracket, which you can see below.UEFAThere are no restrictions in place for the knockout phase, meaning teams from the same national association can meet at this point in the competition.Furthermore, teams can also be drawn against a team that they have already played in the previous stage.The knockout phase play-off games will take place across two legs, on February 17/18 and February 24/25, 2026.The round of 16 will also feature two legs, with games scheduled for March 10/11 and March 17/18, 2026.Here is the full schedule:
When and Where is the Draw Taking Place?
The draw for the knockout phase will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026, at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. The event will kick off at approximately 11am GMT and 6am ET for fans in the UK and the US, respectively. Fans can catch the live stream on UEFA's official website and app as well as partner networks like TNT Sports and Paramount+.
Seeding and Format
Teams finishing in positions nine to 16 are seeded for the knockout play-off round, while those in positions 17 to 24 are unseeded. The draw will pair off the teams, ensuring that no team faces another from the same pairing. The winners of the play-off round advance to the round of 16, where they will be unseeded. There are no restrictions on matchups, allowing for exciting clashes and possible rematches from previous stages.
Key Dates to Remember
The knockout phase play-off matches are scheduled across two legs, on February 17/18 and February 24/25, 2026. The round of 16 will follow suit with games set for March 10/11 and March 17/18, 2026. Fans can mark their calendars for these thrilling encounters as teams battle for supremacy on the European stage.







