Sports
Champions League Round of 16 Draw: PSG Face Chelsea, Real Madrid Meet Man City
The road to Budapest is officially set after the UEFA conducted the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League Round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final draws in Nyon on Friday, February 27, 2026.
Europe’s elite clubs now know their pathway to the final, scheduled for May 30, 2026, in Budapest.
Heavyweight Clashes Headline Round of 16
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain F.C. will lock horns with Chelsea F.C. in one of the standout ties of the round.
Another blockbuster encounter sees Real Madrid C.F. renew their rivalry with Manchester City F.C., a fixture that has defined recent Champions League campaigns.
Elsewhere, Turkish giants Galatasaray S.K. will battle Liverpool F.C., while Atalanta BC face six-time European champions FC Bayern Munich.
Premier League side Newcastle United F.C. take on Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona, and Atlético de Madrid meet Tottenham Hotspur F.C. in another cross-border showdown.
History-makers FK Bodø/Glimt will feature in their first-ever Champions League knockout tie against Sporting CP, while Bayer 04 Leverkusen clash with Arsenal F.C..
Full Round of 16 Fixtures
- PSG vs Chelsea
- Galatasaray vs Liverpool
- Real Madrid vs Man City
- Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
- Newcastle vs Barcelona
- Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham
- Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting CP
- Leverkusen vs Arsenal
Quarter-Final Pathways
- QF1: PSG/Chelsea vs Galatasaray/Liverpool
- QF2: Real Madrid/Man City vs Atalanta/Bayern
- QF3: Newcastle/Barcelona vs Atlético/Tottenham
- QF4: Bodø/Glimt/Sporting vs Leverkusen/Arsenal
Semi-Final Bracket
- Semi-final 1: QF1 winners vs QF2 winners
- Semi-final 2: QF3 winners vs QF4 winners
The winners from the silver side of the bracket will be designated as the nominal home team for the final.
Key Match Dates
- Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18, 2026
- Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15, 2026
- Semi-finals: April 28/29 & May 5/6, 2026
- Final: May 30, 2026 (Budapest)
All knockout fixtures, except the final, kick off at 21:00 CET, with selected Round of 16 matches also scheduled for 18:45 CET.
How the Draw Worked
Clubs were paired based on their league phase standings into four seeded pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8). Four bowls were prepared, each containing a seeded pair.
Teams were drawn into pre-determined bracket positions, starting with the lowest-ranked seeded pair (7/8) and concluding with the highest-ranked (1/2).
Once placed in the bracket, the path through the quarter-finals and semi-finals was automatically set, with the bottom team in each tie hosting the second leg.
With the bracket locked, attention now turns to March as Europe’s giants resume battle for club football’s ultimate prize.
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