The UEFA Champions League 2025-26 Round of 16 draw was officially held on Friday, February 27, 2026, at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, with all eight fixtures now confirmed. The draw has been completed with Real Madrid drawn against Manchester City in a mouth-watering clash, while Paris Saint-Germain face Chelsea in a repeat of last summer’s Club World Cup final.
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The Full Round of 16 Draw
Real Madrid have been handed another mouthwatering clash with Manchester City in the round-of-16 draw for the Champions League, while holders Paris Saint-Germain face Chelsea. The 15-time-record winners Real Madrid will face Manchester City in the knockouts for the fifth-successive year while holders Paris Saint-Germain have been drawn against Chelsea.
| Match | Team 1 | Team 2 | First Leg | Second Leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | Paris Saint-Germain | March 10-11 | March 17-18 |
| 2 | Liverpool | Galatasaray | March 10-11 | March 17-18 |
| 3 | Real Madrid | Manchester City | March 10-11 | March 17-18 |
| 4 | Bayern Munich | Atalanta | March 10-11 | March 17-18 |
| 5 | Barcelona | Newcastle United | March 10-11 | March 17-18 |
| 6 | Tottenham | Atlético Madrid | March 10-11 | March 17-18 |
| 7 | Sporting CP | Bodø/Glimt | March 10-11 | March 17-18 |
| 8 | Arsenal | Bayer Leverkusen | March 10-11 | March 17-18 |
Key Highlights and Storylines
Madrid and City have met in the knockouts in each of the last four UCL campaigns — the LaLiga giants coming out on top in three of those encounters — and while the Premier League side could have faced Bodo/Glimt, it was a familiar name drawn for the next round. City did beat the 15-time winners in the league phase in December.
PSG will take on Chelsea in a repeat of last summer’s Club World Cup final, while Barcelona will meet Newcastle United after their dismantling of Qarabag in the playoff round.
Barcelona have drawn Newcastle United, while League Phase winners Arsenal will face Bayer Leverkusen. Elsewhere, Spurs were drawn to Atletico Madrid, Liverpool got Galatasaray while Bayern Munich will face Atalanta.
Seeding and Advantage
The seeded teams, who finished in the top eight of the league phase, were all drawn against one of the eight playoff winners and will have the advantage of playing the second legs at home.
Match Schedule and Format
The first legs will be played on March 10-11, with the second legs scheduled for March 17-18.
Bracket Structure and Future Rounds
Due to the bracket format for this year’s Champions League, we also know the routes teams could take to get to the semifinals and final. The winner of PSG vs. Chelsea will play Galatasaray or Liverpool in the quarters, Bayern Munich could await Madrid or City, it will be Newcastle or Barcelona vs Atlético or Spurs while Arsenal will take on Bodo or Sporting if they defeat Leverkusen.
The final will be played on May 30, 2026, in Budapest, Hungary.
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FAQs
When was the Champions League Round of 16 draw held?
The draw took place on Friday, February 27, 2026, at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
How many times have Real Madrid and Manchester City met in the Champions League knockout stages?
Real Madrid and Manchester City have faced each other in the knockout stages for four consecutive UCL campaigns, with Madrid winning three of those encounters.
When do the Round of 16 matches kick off?
First legs are scheduled for March 10-11, 2026, with second legs following on March 17-18, 2026.
Is PSG vs Chelsea a rematch?
Yes, PSG and Chelsea faced each other in the Club World Cup final last summer, making this a repeat fixture.
Which team finished as League Phase winners?
Arsenal finished as League Phase winners and will face Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16.
