Champions League playoff draw: opponents and rules

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Champions League playoff draw: opponents and rules

Following the final matchday of the League Phase, which featured all 36 Champions League teams in action, the knockout-stage pathway has now been confirmed, from the playoff round through to the eight teams that will qualify directly for the round of 16.

Inter ended the league phase with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund and finished 10th on 15 points. As a result, they will face either Benfica or Bodø/Glimt in the playoffs. The Nerazzurri are among the teams that placed between 9th and 24th in the League Phase and will therefore compete in the knockout-stage playoffs, with the eight winners advancing directly to the round of 16.

The draw for the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 knockout-stage playoffs will be held on Friday, 30 January at 12:00 CET.

THE DRAW​

The draw for the knockout-stage playoffs involves the teams that finished between 9th and 24th place in the league phase and will take place on Friday, 30 January at 12:00 CET at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. The eight winners will qualify directly for the round of 16.

TEAMS IN THE KNOCKOUT-STAGE PLAYOFFS Seeded teams Real Madrid (ESP) Inter (ITA) Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) Newcastle (ENG) Juventus (ITA) Atletico Madrid (ESP) Atalanta (ITA) Leverkusen (GER)

Unseeded Borussia Dortmund (GER) Olympiacos (GRE) Club Brugge (BEL) Galatasaray (TUR) Monaco (FRA) Qarabağ (AZE) Bodø/Glimt (NOR) Benfica (POR)

The knockout-stage playoff ties are decided by a draw based on the following principles:

a. Teams are grouped according to their final league-phase positions, forming four seeded pairs (positions 9–10, 11–12, 13–14 and 15–16) and four unseeded pairs (17–18, 19–20, 21–22 and 23–24).

b. Each seeded pair is drawn against a corresponding unseeded pair: 9th or 10th vs 23rd or 24th, 11th or 12th vs 21st or 22nd, 13th or 14th vs 19th or 20th, 15th or 16th vs 17th or 18th.

Clubs may be drawn against teams from the same national association, and rematches from the league phase are also permitted.

PLAYOFFS | DATES​

The playoffs will be played over two legs, with one home and one away match for each team. In principle, the seeded side will host the second leg. As a general rule, teams will play one match on a Tuesday and the other on a Wednesday.

First legs: 17/18 February 2026 Second legs: 24/25 February 2026

UEFA will confirm the full fixture schedule, including match dates and kick-off times, after the draw. The eight teams that progress from the knockout-stage playoffs will qualify for the round of 16, with the draw scheduled for Friday, 27 February 2026.

KNOCKOUT STAGE | DATES​

Knockout-stage playoffs: 17/18 and 24/25 February 2026 Round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final draw: 27 February 2026 Round of 16: 10/11 and 17/18 March 2026 Quarter-finals: 7/8 and 14/15 April 2026 Semi-finals: 28/29 April and 5/6 May 2026 Final: 30 May 2026 (Budapest)

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