Champions League draw: How to watch, who is involved, everything you need to know

The road to Budapest now begins in earnest following the conclusion of the Champions League knockout playoff round on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Bodo/Glimt were expected to bow to an Inter Milan fightback, but the Norwegian outfit proved that their 3-1 victory over the Nerazzurri in the Nordic Circle was no fluke, as they once again got the better of last year’s beaten finalists, winning 2-1 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate.

Atalanta BC and Juventus, to an extent, earned Italian football some much-needed redemption on Wednesday. The Bergamaschi overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit to beat Borussia Dortmund 4-3 on aggregate after a thrilling 4-1 win in Bergamo, while 10-man Juve forced extra time against Galatasaray despite trailing 5-2 from the first leg in Istanbul, before ultimately falling to a 7-5 exit after a 3-2 victory in Turin.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid and defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain avoided upsets as they saw off Benfica and Monaco, respectively, to reach the last 16.

With the knockout playoff ties now complete, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon and Manchester City have been joined by PSG, Real Madrid, Atalanta, Newcastle United, Atletico Madrid, Bodo/Glimt and Bayer Leverkusen.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at everything you need to know about the Champions League last-16 draw and which teams could face each other.

When is the 2025-26 Champions League last 16 draw?

The draws for the Champions League round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will be held on Friday, February 27, at 11am UK time.

Where is the 2025-26 Champions League last 16 draw?

The draw is scheduled to be held at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

How to watch the 2025-26 Champions League last 16 draw

The draw will be available to watch live on UEFA.com, UEFA.tv and the official UEFA Champions League app, while viewers in the UK can also tune in on TNT Sports and Discovery+.

Which teams are involved in the 2025-26 Champions League last 16 draw?

Seeded teams:

Arsenal (ENG)
Bayern Munich (GER)
Liverpool (ENG)
Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
Barcelona (ESP)
Chelsea (ENG)
Sporting Lisbon (POR)
Manchester City (ENG)

Unseeded teams:

Real Madrid (ESP)
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Newcastle United (ENG)
Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Atalanta (ITA)
Bayer Leverkusen (GER)
Galatasaray (TUR)
Bodo/Glimt (NOR)

Possible 2025-26 Champions League last 16 ties

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona or Chelsea
Galatasaray vs Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur
Real Madrid vs Sporting CP or Manchester City
Atalanta vs Arsenal or Bayern Munich
Newcastle United vs Chelsea or Barcelona
Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool
Bodo/Glimt vs Manchester City or Sporting CP
Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich or Arsenal

Champions League 2025-26 last 16 draw: Scenarios for Premier League clubs

Arsenal: The Gunners will face either German outfit Bayer Leverkusen or Italian side Atalanta, with the second leg to be played at the Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool: The Reds will navigate a tricky trip to either Atletico Madrid or Turkish giants Galatasaray.

Tottenham Hotspur: Much like Liverpool, Spurs will be pitted against either Galatasaray or Atletico.

Chelsea: The Blues are guaranteed a high-profile encounter against either current holders PSG or domestic rivals Newcastle.

Manchester City: Pep Guardiola's side are slated to meet either 15-time winners Real Madrid or Norwegian surprise package Bodo/Glimt.

Newcastle United: Having progressed through the playoffs, the Magpies face a daunting task against either Barcelona or Chelsea.

How does the 2025-26 Champions League last 16 draw work?

The eight play-off winners, who are no longer seeded, will be paired with the top eight teams from the league phase.

From this stage, the competition switches to a straight knockout, with all ties except the final played over two legs.

League-phase finishing positions continue to shape the last-16 seeding, as the sides that ended in the top eight gain the benefit of hosting the second leg at home.

For the first time, league standings will also dictate seeding for both the quarter-finals and semi-finals, with teams ending first to fourth earning home advantage in the second legs of their quarter-final ties and the top two in the league likewise seeded to play the return leg of their semi-finals at home if they advance.

Should any seeded side fail to reach the quarter-finals or semi-finals, their victors will take over their seeding position.

Can teams from same country face each other?

Clubs from the same country may be drawn against each other in the knockout stage, and it is also possible for teams to meet opponents they have already faced in the league phase.