When and where will the Champions League Round of 16 draw take place?

Following a dramatic play-off stage, the 16 clubs advancing to the 2025/26 Champions League Round of 16 are now confirmed. The draw event in Nyon is set to produce exciting clashes that will determine the journey to Budapest.

Date, location, and how to watch the draw ceremony

Round of 16 draw ceremony Champions Leagueand simultaneously determine the quarter-final and semi-final brackets, will take place at 18:00 on February 27 (Vietnam time) at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

The 16 teams participating in the Round of 16

Seeded group (top 8 from the league phase): Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, Manchester City.

Unseeded group (teams that advanced through the play-offs): Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Galatasaray, Bodo/Glimt.

Potential high-profile matchups to look forward to

• PSG vs Barcelona or Chelsea.

• Real Madrid vs Sporting CP or Manchester City.

• Atalanta vs Arsenal or Bayern Munich.

• Newcastle vs Barcelona or Chelsea.

• Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich or Arsenal.

Specifically, Premier League representatives face tough challenges. Arsenal might meet Leverkusen or Atalanta and will host the second leg at Emirates. Liverpool and Tottenham risk traveling to the hostile grounds of Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray. Chelsea is guaranteed to face a strong opponent such as PSG or Newcastle. Meanwhile, Man City could have a rematch with Real Madrid, the most successful club in the competition's history, or face the surprise package Bodo/Glimt.

Draw format and tie-break rules

The eight teams that passed the play-offs will be paired against the eight group winners from the league phase. From this stage, the tournament returns to a two-legged knockout format. The top 8 teams host the second leg at home.

Notably, the league phase rankings not only grant advantages in the Round of 16 but also influence the quarter-final and semi-final paths. Higher-ranked teams will enjoy home advantage in the second leg if they advance further. In the knockout rounds, clubs from the same country can face each other, and there is no restriction on rematches against opponents met during the league phase. Therefore, the draw in Nyon is more than a formality; it could decide the entire route to Budapest for Europe's football giants.