After the knockout play-off round concluded on the evening of 25/2, the Champions League confirmed all 16 teams for the round of 16. The eight play-off winners will join the eight group stage leaders for the draw that will determine the path to the final.

Serge Gnabry with an acrobatic finish during Bayern's 1-3 loss to Arsenal in a Champions League group stage match at Emirates Stadium, London, England on 26/11/2025. Photo: Reuters

The seeded group consists of the eight teams that topped the league phase according to their ranking: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barca, Chelsea, Sporting, and Man City. Meanwhile, the eight unseeded teams are the clubs that advanced from the play-off round: Real Madrid, PSG, Newcastle, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Leverkusen, Galatasaray, and Bodo/Glimt.

According to the format, the seeded teams are divided into four pairs based on their positions after the group stage (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8). Each pair will be drawn into one of two fixed positions on two separate brackets. The draw begins with the 7th-8th ranked pair and concludes with the 1st-2nd ranked pair. The first team drawn in each pair will occupy a predetermined position in one bracket, while the other team automatically goes to the opposite bracket. The unseeded teams had their positions determined beforehand through the play-off draw.

Since the teams are already placed on the diagram, the quarter-final and semi-final matchups will form according to the brackets. Teams advancing from the round of 16 will continue on their predetermined path to the final. Similar to previous rounds, the team in the lower position of each pairing will play the second leg at home. The semi-final winner from one bracket will be designated as the nominal home team in the final.

According to regulations, teams from the same country can still face each other from the round of 16. Clubs that met in the group stage can also play again.

This will be the final Champions League draw of the season. The round of 16 first legs will take place on 10 and 11/3, with the second legs on 17 and 18/3. The quarter-finals will be played over two legs on 7-8/4 and 14-15/4. The semi-finals will be held on 28-29/4 and 5-6/5. The final will be hosted in Budapest, at Puskas Arena, on 30/5.

Hong Duy