From the play-offs to the final… The schedule for the 2025-2026 Champions League knockout stages

Europe 29 January 2026 at 05:54

Mohamed Rek

News Editor

The single-league phase of the Champions League wrapped up on Wednesday night, after a decisive final matchday that featured no fewer than 18 simultaneous games. These matches ultimately determined the clubs that secured a direct ticket to the Round of 16, as well as the teams set to battle it out in the qualifying play-offs.

Eight clubs punched their ticket straight to the Round of 16: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, FC Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon and Manchester City.

Meanwhile, sixteen teams will have to go through the play-off phase to complete the Round of 16 line-up. They are: Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, Juventus, Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Olympiacos, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, AS Monaco, Qarabag, Bodo/Glimt and Benfica.

UCL: Knockout stage schedule

Below is the official schedule for the upcoming stages of the Champions League, as set by UEFA, from the play-offs all the way to the final.

The competition will resume with the play-offs for a place in the Round of 16. First legs will be played on 17 and 18 February, with the return legs on 24 and 25 February.

The Round of 16 will take place in March, with the first legs scheduled for 10 and 11 March, and the second legs on 17 and 18 March.

The quarter-finals will be held in April. First legs are set for 7 and 8 April, with the return legs on 14 and 15 April.

The semi-finals will take place between the end of April and the beginning of May. The first legs are scheduled for 28 and 29 April, with the return fixtures on 5 and 6 May 2026.

Finally, Europe's premier club competition will come to a climax with the grand final, set for 30 May 2026 at the Ferenc Puskás Stadium in Budapest, Hungary.

UEFA Champions League: Benfica/Real Madrid (4-2), match summary and goals in video

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