2025–26 UEFA Champions League knockout phase

The knockout phase involves the top 24 teams that qualified from the league phase. The top 8 teams received a bye to the round of 16, while teams finishing in positions 9 to 24 entered the knockout phase play-offs. ==Format==

Each tie in the knockout phase, apart from the final, is played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The team that scores more goals on aggregate over the two legs advances to the next round. If the aggregate score is level, then 30 minutes of extra time is played (the away goals rule is not applied). If the score is still level at the end of extra time, the winners are decided by a penalty shoot-out. In the final, which is played as a single match, if the score is level at the end of normal time, extra time is played, followed by a penalty shoot-out if the score is still level. Predetermined pairings The bracket structure for the knockout phase was partially fixed in advance using seeding, with a symmetrical pattern on both sides. Teams' positions in the bracket were determined by their final standings in the league phase, ensuring that higher-ranked teams face lower-ranked opponents in earlier rounds. As a result, certain sets of teams, such as the top two from the league phase, cannot meet until the final. The structure of each side of the bracket can be summarised as follows, with the exact pairings of the play-offs and round of 16 determined by a draw: • Knockout phase play-offs • Pairing I: 9/10 vs 23/24 • Pairing II: 11/12 vs 21/22 • Pairing III: 13/14 vs 19/20 • Pairing IV: 15/16 vs 17/18 • Round of 16 • Pairing A: 1/2 vs Winner IV • Pairing B: 3/4 vs Winner III • Pairing C: 5/6 vs Winner II • Pairing D: 7/8 vs Winner I • Quarter-finals • Pairing 1: Winner A vs Winner D • Pairing 2: Winner B vs Winner C • Semi-finals: Winner 1 vs Winner 2 ==Schedule==

The schedule is as follows (all draws were held at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland). ==Bracket==

The draw for the knockout phase play-offs was held on 30 January 2026, 12:00 CET. Seeding The draw was split into four seeded and four unseeded pots, based on the predetermined pairings for the knockout phase. Teams were allocated based on their final position in the league phase. Teams in positions 9 to 16 were seeded (playing the second legs at home), while teams in positions 17 to 24 were unseeded. The draw began with the unseeded teams, allocating them all to a tie. Once completed, all the seeded teams were drawn into a tie as their opponents. Summary The first legs were played on 17 and 18 February, and the second legs were played on 24 and 25 February 2026. Matches Paris Saint-Germain won 5–4 on aggregate. ---- Galatasaray won 7–5 on aggregate. ---- Real Madrid won 3–1 on aggregate. ---- Atalanta won 4–3 on aggregate. ---- Newcastle United won 9–3 on aggregate. ---- Atlético Madrid won 7–4 on aggregate. ---- Bodø/Glimt won 5–2 on aggregate. ---- Bayer Leverkusen won 2–0 on aggregate. ==Round of 16==

The draw for the round of 16 was held on 27 February 2026, 12:00 CET. Seeding As the bracket was fixed, the draw contained only four seeded pots, based on the predetermined pairings for the knockout phase, with the top-eight teams allocated based on their final position in the league phase. Teams in positions 1 to 8 were seeded (playing the second legs at home), while the bracket positions of the winners of the knockout phase play-offs (unseeded) were predetermined. The top-eight teams were drawn into the bracket against one of their two possible opponents. Summary The first legs were played on 10 and 11 March, and the second legs were played on 17 and 18 March 2026. Matches Paris Saint-Germain won 8–2 on aggregate. ---- Liverpool won 4–1 on aggregate. ---- Real Madrid won 5–1 on aggregate. ---- Bayern Munich won 10–2 on aggregate. ---- Barcelona won 8–3 on aggregate. ---- Atlético Madrid won 7–5 on aggregate. ---- Sporting CP won 5–3 on aggregate. ---- Arsenal won 3–1 on aggregate. ==Quarter-finals==

Summary The first legs were played on 7 and 8 April, and the second legs were played on 14 and 15 April 2026. Matches Paris Saint-Germain won 4–0 on aggregate. ---- Bayern Munich won 6–4 on aggregate. ---- Atlético Madrid won 3–2 on aggregate. ---- Arsenal won 1–0 on aggregate. ==Semi-finals==

Summary The first legs were played on 28 and 29 April, and the second legs were played on 5 and 6 May 2026. Matches Paris Saint-Germain won 6–5 on aggregate. ---- Arsenal won 2–1 on aggregate. ==Final==

The final will be played on 30 May 2026 at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. The winner of semi-final 1 was designated as the "home" team for administrative purposes. ==Notes==