Champions League Knockout Phase Play-Off Draw: Everything You Need to Know
The league phase of the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League has concluded after a dramatic final round, with the competition now moving into its first knockout hurdle.
While the top eight teams in the league phase have secured automatic qualification for the last 16, the next 16 sides must navigate the newly introduced knockout phase play-offs to keep their European hopes alive.
With fixtures piling up across domestic and continental competitions, that guaranteed rest for the top eight could yet prove decisive in the race for European silverware.
Last season showed that the play-off route is far from a dead end. Several heavyweights were forced to take the longer path through February before mounting deep runs in the competition, underlining how unforgiving the new format can be.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the draw.
When is the Champions League knockout phase play-off draw?
The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off draw will take place tomorrow, Friday January 30, at 11am Irish time.
The draw will be held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Which teams are involved in the draw?
The draw features the teams that finished ninth to 24th in the league phase. Those ranked ninth to 16th are seeded, while teams finishing 17th to 24th are unseeded.
Seeded teams (league phase finish in brackets):
- Real Madrid (9)
- Inter Milan (10)
- Paris Saint-Germain (11)
- Newcastle United (12)
- Juventus (13)
- Atlético Madrid (14)
- Atalanta (15)
- Bayer Leverkusen (16)
Unseeded teams:
- Borussia Dortmund (17)
- Olympiacos (18)
- Club Brugge (19)
- Galatasaray (20)
- AS Monaco (21)
- Qarabağ (22)
- Bodø/Glimt (23)
- Benfica (24)
How does the draw work?
Teams are paired based on their league phase positions.
The seeded pairs are:
- 9 & 10
- 11 & 12
- 13 & 14
- 15 & 16
The unseeded pairs are:
- 17 & 18
- 19 & 20
- 21 & 22
- 23 & 24
Each seeded pair will be drawn against a corresponding unseeded pair:
- 9 or 10 vs 23 or 24
- 11 or 12 vs 21 or 22
- 13 or 14 vs 19 or 20
- 15 or 16 vs 17 or 18
Unlike previous formats, teams from the same national association can face each other, and clubs that met during the league phase are also permitted to be drawn together.
How can I watch the draw?
The draw will be streamed live on:
- UEFA’s official website
- The Champions League app
