Champions League 2025-26 final league round match times | OneFootball

The Champions League group stage comes to an end this Wednesday with an exciting final matchday in which 18 matches will be played simultaneously (5:00 pm). The complex competition format, introduced last season, ensures that there is a lot at stake in each and every one of them.

Starting this season, the final position in the league phase is even more decisive, as it allows the top-ranked teams to play the second leg at home during the rest of the competition. And there is another very important novelty. If a team eliminates a higher-ranked opponent, it inherits that team's seeded status until the end.

For example: if the team ranked 7th beats the 1st in the quarterfinals, it will have the advantage of playing the second leg at home in the semifinals, even if its rival is the 3rd or 4th ranked team from the league phase.

Another example: if the team ranked 14th eliminates the 3rd in the round of 16, it takes on the 3rd seed status from that round onwards, and if it faces the 5th or 6th in the quarterfinals, it will play the second leg at home.

The top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16. Teams ranked 9th to 24th will play a two-legged playoff to earn their ticket to the round of 16 (draw this Friday the 30th). Teams ranked 9th to 16th will face those ranked 17th to 24th, with the former being seeded and playing the second leg at home. Teams finishing between 25th and 36th place will be eliminated.

From the round of 16 onwards, the competition follows the classic format. The playoff winners will play their matches against the top-ranked teams from the league phase in a knockout format, with the peculiarity, as explained, of being able to steal home advantage all the way to the final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on May 30th (6:00 pm).

Only Arsenal and Bayern have already secured their direct ticket to the round of 16, while 13 teams are guaranteed at least a playoff spot and four are mathematically eliminated. We analyze, match by match and team by team, the scenarios for the final matchday. The order of the matches in this analysis reflects the current standings.

Arsenal and Bayern are the only ones with a guaranteed spot in the top 8. Arteta's side will finish first even if they lose, unless the Germans win and make up the current +5 goal difference. Kairat: the Kazakhs are eliminated.

PSV – Bayern

PSV: will definitely qualify among the top 24 if they win. A draw will also likely be enough. If they lose, they would need many favorable results from other teams to advance.

Bayern: Kompany's team, already in the top 8, must at least draw to secure second place. If they win and Arsenal lose, they could finish first, but they need to make up a five-goal deficit. If they lose and Real Madrid and/or Liverpool win, they could drop as low as fourth depending on goal difference.

Benfica – Real Madrid

Benfica: To finish in the top 24, Mourinho's team must win no matter what and hope for several favorable results. Difficult but not impossible.

Real Madrid: By winning, they guarantee a top 8 finish and at least fourth place. They could even be second if Bayern lose and they surpass them on goal difference, which is quite possible since the Germans currently have only a +2 advantage (and +5 over Liverpool, who would also enter the equation if they win). If they draw, they would only miss the top 8 with a combination of unfavorable results and several highly unlikely big wins by others. If they lose, it is quite possible that six teams (out of nine that could do so) will overtake them and they will miss the top 8.

Liverpool – Qarabag

Liverpool: The Reds are in a similar situation to Real Madrid in all scenarios except that their goal difference is lower (-5). If they win, they enter the top 8 and will be at least fourth.

Qarabag: would qualify among the top 24 with a win and almost certainly also with a draw. Even if they lose, a lot would have to go wrong for them to be eliminated. The big surprise of the competition.

Eintracht Frankfurt – Tottenham

Eintracht: the Germans are eliminated.

Tottenham: The Spurs, if they win, secure a top 8 spot. A loss or even a draw would almost certainly leave them out of that elite group, as they would need many other teams to slip up.

PSG – Newcastle

This is the only one of the 18 matches where two teams currently in the top 8 face each other. The worst outcome for both would be a draw, as it is very likely that both would drop to ninth or lower.

The winner will not be guaranteed a top 8 spot until the final goal differences are known for all teams, but as of now, both have a fairly favorable margin (+10) compared to the rest.

Napoli – Chelsea

Napoli: before the matchday starts, they are the first of the non-qualified teams (25th). A win would almost certainly put them in the top 24. All the teams ahead of them by one or two points would have to win, which is quite a few. Not feasible.

Chelsea: Currently on the edge of the top 8 (eighth) and may not be safe even with a narrow win or even by two goals, because teams tied on points like Barcelona and Manchester City are very close in goal difference and face theoretically easier opponents.

Barcelona – FC Copenhagen

Barça: A comfortable win for Barça would most likely put them in the top 8 due to goal difference. A draw could be enough, but they would need several teams among Chelsea, Sporting, Manchester City, Atlético, and Atalanta to slip up. And the PSG-Newcastle match must not end in a draw. If they lose, they will drop to ninth or lower.

Copenhagen: The Danes, for their part, are two spots away from the top 24. They must win at Spotify Camp Nou and hope for other teams to slip up.

Athletic – Sporting Portugal

Athletic: They are second to last among those currently qualified (23rd). A win puts the Lions through unless a science fiction combination of results and goal differences occurs. If they draw, it will require some calculations because many other matches will come into play. If they lose, it's goodbye 95 percent. Olympiacos or Ajax would definitely overtake them, and they would need all of the following to lose (or not win): Napoli, FC Copenhagen, Brugge, Bodö Glimt, Benfica, Pafos, and Union Saint-Gilloise.

Sporting: To break into the top 8 (currently tenth), they need to win, preferably by a good goal difference. A draw or loss sends them to the additional playoff.

Manchester City – Galatasaray

City: Guardiola's men need to beat the Turks and by as many goals as possible to break into the top 8. They are currently eleventh with a +4 goal difference and the same points as Sporting (+5), Barça (+5), Chelsea (+6), Newcastle (+10), and PSG (+10). Since the last two face each other, they will definitely overtake one of them (or both if they draw). They need to improve their difference with two of the other three (Sporting, Barça, and Chelsea) or hope that one or more of them slip up. Plus, they must maintain their advantage over Atalanta (+1) and Atlético (+3), who also have 13 points. A draw or loss sends the Citizens to the playoff.

Galatasaray: Currently in 17th place. A win qualifies them for the top 24. A draw or even a loss would likely also be enough, barring a very unlikely set of results against them.

Atlético – Bodö/Glimt

Atlético: Simeone's calculations to avoid the playoff are fairly simple. They need a win by as many goals as possible to improve their current goal difference (+3) compared to teams with the same points (13): Manchester City (+4), Sporting (+5), Barça (+5), and Chelsea (+6). As in previous cases, keep in mind that the direct PSG-Newcastle clash (also both on 13) works in their favor, as one (or both if they draw) will definitely drop points. A draw or loss condemns Atlético to the playoff.

Bodö/Glimt: The surprising Norwegians need to win and look for other favorable results to break into the top 24. They are currently in 28th place.

Union Saint-Gilloise – Atalanta

Union Saint Gilloise: The Belgians would only make the top 24 with a win and a long series of favorable results in other matches.

Atalanta: They have the worst goal difference among the eight teams tied on 13 points fighting to break into the top 8. Their best bet is to focus on winning to ensure they are seeded in the playoff draw and play the second leg at home.

Borussia Dortmund – Inter

Dortmund: Although the Germans still have a chance at the top 8 if they win, the logical thing is to focus on getting the three points to finish between 9th and 16th and be seeded in the playoff draw. With a draw, they could drop to 17th-24th, and if they lose, that is likely. Elimination is almost impossible even if they lose.

Inter: The Italians, with one more point (12) and a top 24 spot secured, must ensure they are seeded. Breaking into the top 8 is more than a long shot.

Monaco – Juventus

Monaco: Will be in the top 24 with a win (currently 21st). With a draw, they risk missing out if a series of results go against them. If they lose, their chances of elimination would be higher than qualification, depending on other results.

Juventus: Are in almost the same situation as Inter, with the same points (12) but a worse goal difference (+4 versus +6 for their archrival). The same applies as noted above for the Nerazzurri: aim to be seeded in the draw by winning in the Principality, because the top 8 is a winter night's dream.

Brugge – Olympique Marseille

Brugge: The Belgians start in 27th place. Although it might not be enough, a win would logically qualify them for the top 24, as it would also ensure they overtake their direct rival, OM, who are two points ahead. Even a draw could be enough if a series of favorable results occur, but this is very, very unlikely. Logically, a loss eliminates them.

Marseille: The French side coached by De Zerbi (currently 19th) qualify with a win, which would also give them a chance (though slim) to be seeded, and most likely also with a draw. Even with a loss, several adverse results would be needed for them to be eliminated.

Bayer Leverkusen – Villarreal

Leverkusen: The Germans, like OM, qualify with a win, with few chances of being seeded (9th to 16th). A draw would probably also be enough, and if they lose, they will have to wait for results, calculator in hand.

Villarreal: Are eliminated with just one point from seven matches.

Ajax – Olympiacos

Ajax: The historic Dutch side are the last team (32nd place and -12 goal difference) with any chance of finishing in the top 24. "Any" is saying a lot… They need all three points, a big win, and for the majority of the 13 teams they could catch to draw or lose. Utopian doesn't even begin to describe it.

Olympiacos: Mendilibar and his team are, interestingly, also the last of those currently in the top 24. Although it's not mathematical because there are teams behind them with the same points (Napoli and FC Copenhagen), normally a win would qualify the Greeks, as some of those ahead could also slip up. The same can be said for a draw. There would be a few more ways to miss out, but it could be enough. With a loss, however, unless all those behind them also lose, it's over.

Pafos: The Cypriot team, which competed magnificently under Juan Carlos Carcedo until his departure to Russia, needs to win and have many other results go their way to break into the top 24. There are 11 teams ahead of them, and they must overtake at least six. Difficult? That's an understatement.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.