UEFA Champions League 2025-26 Knockout Stage Set as 24 Teams Advance

The knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 has taken shape, with 24 teams securing qualification for the business end of Europe’s premier club competition.

Eight teams booked direct entry into the Round of 16 after finishing at the top of the league standings, thereby avoiding the knockout phase play-offs. The teams to qualify automatically are Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Sporting CP, and Tottenham Hotspur.

Sixteen other teams will compete in the knockout phase play-offs for the remaining eight Round of 16 places. The confirmed play-off teams include Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Benfica, Bodø/Glimt, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Inter Milan, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco, Newcastle United, Olympiacos, Paris Saint-Germain, Qarabag, and Real Madrid.

Several high-profile clubs were eliminated at this stage, including Ajax, Athletic Club, Copenhagen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Kairat Almaty, Marseille, Napoli, Pafos, PSV Eindhoven, Slavia Praha, Union Saint-Gilloise and Villarreal.

The knockout phase play-offs will be played on February 17/18 and February 24/25, 2026. The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for March 10/11 and March 17/18. Quarter-finals will take place in early April, followed by semi-finals in late April and early May.

The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League season will culminate with the final in Budapest on May 30, where Europe’s top clubs will compete for continental honours.

Matchday 8 produced several notable results across the competition. Benfica registered a 4-2 home win over Real Madrid despite a brace from Kylian Mbappe. Arsenal maintained their unbeaten run with a 3-2 victory over Kairat, while Liverpool recorded a dominant 6-0 win against Qarabag, with Alexis Mac Allister scoring twice.

Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw by Newcastle United. Barcelona recovered from a first-half deficit to defeat Copenhagen 4-1, while Chelsea edged Napoli 3-2 in Naples. Manchester City secured a comfortable win against Galatasaray, Tottenham Hotspur beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0, and Inter Milan outplayed Borussia Dortmund.

Elsewhere, Monaco and Juventus played out a goalless draw, Bayer Leverkusen defeated Villarreal 3-0, and Club Brugge claimed a 3-0 win over Marseille.