Champions League Knockouts: Round of 16 Qualified Teams, Playoff Brackets, Draw - All You Need To Know

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The draw for the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League knockout round draw will take place after the group stages, setting the stage for mouthwatering battles as Europe's elite clubs chase glory.

With the group stage wrapped up on Wednesday (January 29), 24 out of the 36 teams have advanced to the knockouts.

The Top 8 teams have directly qualified for the Round of 16, while the teams placed 9th to 24th will undergo a two-legged playoff encounter.

UCL 2025-26 Knockouts Qualified Teams

Here's a look at the 24 teams that have qualified for the knockouts of the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 season.

Top 8 Ranked Teams: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, FC Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, Manchester City

9th to 24th Placed Teams (Qualified for Playoffs): Real Madrid, Inter Milan, PSG, Newcastle, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Olympiacos, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, AS Monaco, Qarabag FK, Bodo/Glimt, Benfica

UEFA Champions League Knockout Formats

The UEFA Champions League playoff brackets refer to the structured knockout phase in the competition's new Swiss-model league format (introduced in 2024/25). They determine matchups from the knockout playoffs through to the final, ensuring no reseeding after the round of 16.

Knockout Playoffs

Teams ranked 9th to 24th in the 36-team league phase enter single-elimination two-legged ties. Seeded teams (9th-16th) face unseeded ones (17th-24th) in a fixed bracket split into four paths, with seeds hosting the second leg. The 8 winning teams advance to join the top 8 teams directly into the Round of 16.

UEFA Champions League 2025-26 Playoff Brackets

As per the UEFA Champions League new rules, here are the Playoff Brackets as the teams of the same bracket would play the alternate teams-

Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Dortmund or Olympiacos

Real Madrid or Inter Milan vs Bodo/Glimt or Benfica

PSG or Newcastle vs AS Monaco or Qarabag FK

Juventus or Atletico Madrid vs Club Brugge or Galarasaray

When will the Champions League Knockouts Draw Take Place?

The UEFA Champions League knockouts draw will take place on Friday (January 30), at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. The draw will determine the playoff brackets and the subsequent Round of 16 matches as well. It will start at 11 AM GMT on the day.