By Peter Omopo
The Union of European Football Associations has announced the Round of 16 fixtures for the UEFA Champions League following the conclusion of the knockout phase play-offs. The draw, which also mapped out the quarter-final and semi-final brackets, was conducted on Friday in Nyon, setting the route to the final scheduled for May 30, 2026 in Budapest.
Among the standout ties, Arsenal will take on Bayer Leverkusen, while Liverpool have been paired with Galatasaray. Manchester City face a stern test against Real Madrid as they seek to keep their European title hopes alive, and Chelsea will battle defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Elsewhere, Bayern Munich will meet Atalanta, Tottenham face Atletico Madrid, Barcelona clash with Newcastle, and Sporting have been drawn against Bodo/Glimt.
According to UEFA, the Round of 16 draw was conducted based on clubs’ positions at the end of the league phase, forming four seeded pairs comprising teams ranked first and second, third and fourth, fifth and sixth, and seventh and eighth. The seeded teams were drawn into designated bracket positions against winners of the knockout phase play-offs. The process determined the side of the bracket for each team, starting with those ranked seventh and eighth and concluding with the top two ranked sides.
With the bracket now fixed, teams progressing from the Round of 16 will follow a predetermined path through the quarter-finals and semi-finals to the final. As in previous rounds, the team placed in the bottom row of each tie will host the second leg, while the winner of the semi-final on the silver side of the bracket will be designated as the nominal home team for the final.
The Round of 16 matches will be played on March 10 and 11, with return legs on March 17 and 18. The quarter-finals are scheduled for April 7 and 8, with second legs on April 14 and 15. The semi-finals will hold on April 28 and 29, with return fixtures on May 5 and 6, before the final in Budapest on May 30, 2026.
The quarter-final bracket has also been outlined, with the winner of the Paris Saint-Germain versus Chelsea tie set to face either Galatasaray or Liverpool. The victor between Real Madrid and Manchester City will meet either Atalanta or Bayern Munich. Newcastle or Barcelona will confront Atletico Madrid or Tottenham, while the winner between Bodo/Glimt and Sporting will take on either Bayer Leverkusen or Arsenal.
