The UEFA Champions League knockout stage draw occurred in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday, February 27, 2026. This draw determined the round of 16 matchups for all six Premier League clubs still in contention: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur.
This setup guarantees historic moments in the last 16, as the English teams discovered their paths forward.
Thanks to topping the 36-team league phase, Arsenal and Bayern Munich secure home advantage in the second leg of their ties through to the final (set for May 30 in Budapest, Hungary). Arsenal appear to have received one of the kinder draws.
Arsenal will take on Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with a potential quarter-final against the winner of Bodo/Glimt or Sporting CP. Their possible semi-final foes include Newcastle, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, or rivals Tottenham.
Six-time winners Liverpool are drawn against Galatasaray in the last 16, potentially facing PSG or Chelsea in the quarters. In the semis, they could meet Real Madrid, Manchester City, Atalanta, or Bayern Munich.
Newcastle United face Barcelona in the round of 16, with a possible quarter-final clash against Atletico Madrid or Tottenham. Their potential semi-final opponents are Bodo/Glimt, Sporting CP, Bayer Leverkusen, or Arsenal.
Chelsea meet reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, followed by a potential quarter-final with Galatasaray or Liverpool. Semi-final possibilities include Real Madrid, Manchester City, Atalanta, or Bayern Munich.
Tottenham Hotspur were paired with Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 and could encounter Newcastle or Barcelona in the quarters, before a semi-final against Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Bodo/Glimt, or Sporting CP.
Manchester City draw Real Madrid in the round of 16, setting up a quarter-final against Atalanta or Bayern Munich. In the semis, Pep Guardiola’s team could face PSG, Chelsea, Galatasaray, or Liverpool.
This matchup marks the first time City and Real Madrid will contest a knockout tie in five straight seasons. Including group/league phase encounters, the two sides will have met 11 times over the past five years by the end of this round of 16 in 2025/26.
Remarkably, Manchester City have played only five other teams (Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham) more frequently than Real Madrid in that span, despite the clubs competing in separate domestic leagues.
“It’s funny that every season we play [City], it’s five seasons in a row, we know each other well,” commented Real Madrid’s director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueño, after the draw. “They have not just a great team but a great squad, and that gives Guardiola options. The first game will be at the Bernabeu … These are games for attacking football, both teams go for it, there are lots of goals. It’s one of the best games you can see anywhere in the world. We hope all our players are fit for the tie, we’ll need them. We all know how much this competition means to us, and we believe in our players.”
Full 2025/26 Champions League round of 16 draw:
Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting CP
Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea
Newcastle United vs Barcelona
Galatasaray vs Liverpool
Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur
Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal
Knockout stage schedule:
Round of 16
First legs: March 10 and 11
Second legs: March 17 and 18
Quarter-finals
First legs: April 7 and 8
Second legs: April 14 and 15
Semi-finals
First legs: April 28 and 29
Second legs: May 5 and 6
Final
May 30 in Budapest
