The league phase of the UEFA Champions League concluded on Wednesday in thrilling fashion as the final 18 games all took place at the same time.
The top eight in the standings all qualified automatically for the Round of 16, while the 16 teams below them enter the playoff phase.
These teams have now been drawn into eight two-legged matchups, the winners of which will take their place in the last-16 draw at the end of February.
The draw took place today (Friday, January 30) at 12 p.m. local time in Nyon, Switzerland (6 a.m. ET).
UEFA Champions League knockout playoff draw result
This section will be updated once the draw is completed on Friday.
Seeded teams in bold.
| Benfica vs. Real Madrid | |
| Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan | |
| Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain | |
| Qarabag vs. Newcastle United | |
| Galatasaray vs. Juventus | |
| Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid | |
| Borussia Dortmund vs. Atalanta | |
| Olympiacos vs. Bayer Leverkusen |
When are the Champions League knockout playoffs?
The first legs of the playoff matches will take place over February 17-18, 2026. The return legs are a week later over February 24-25.
This page will be updated when precise dates and times are confirmed.
Teams in Champions League knockout playoffs
The teams that finished from ninth to 24th place in the league phase enter the knockout-playoff round.
The first eight (ninth to 16th) are seeded and will play the second leg of their playoff at home.
Seeded teams
| Club | Nation |
| Real Madrid | Spain |
| Inter Milan | Italy |
| Paris Saint-Germain | France |
| Newcastle United | England |
| Juventus | Italy |
| Atletico Madrid | Spain |
| Atalanta | Italy |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Germany |
Unseeded teams
| Club | Nation |
| Borussia Dortmund | Germany |
| Olympiacos | Greece |
| Club Brugge | Belgium |
| Galatasaray | Turkey |
| Monaco | France |
| Qarabag | Azerbaijan |
| Bodo/Glimt | Norway |
| Benfica | Portugal |
How the draw for the knockout playoffs works
In the new Champions League format, which follows what is known as the Swiss Model, the knockout-stage bracket is largely predetermined by final league-phase positions, although not entirely.
After the playoffs draw, there will be another draw prior to the Round of 16 to set the entire rest of the bracket.
In both the knockout playoffs and the Round of 16, each qualifier has only two possible opponents against whom they can be drawn.
