What Tottenham need to qualify for Champions League last 16

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Evening Standard

·22 January 2026

What Tottenham need to qualify for Champions League last 16

Spurs are certain of a play-off spot but want to finish in the top eight of the League Phase

Tottenham are sitting pretty in the Champions League top eight heading into their final League Phase fixture.

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An abysmal Premier League season has not translated onto the continent, with 14 points from seven games.

Spurs have won all four of their home games without conceding, with their latest triumph in north London coming against a below-par Borussia Dortmund side.

The win eased the pressure on Thomas Frank and has made sure that Spurs’ European adventure will continue beyond January.

What Tottenham need to qualify for Champions League last 16

Goals from captain Cristian Romero and striker Dominic Solanke on Tuesday night saw off Dortmund, and assured Spurs of a place in the knockout phase play-offs.

But Frank and his players will have designs on a top-eight finish, and direct qualification for the last-16 stage, when they travel to Eintracht Frankfurt next week.

Defeats for Manchester City, against Bodo/Glimt, Paris Saint-Germain, at Sporting, and Inter Milan, at home to Arsenal, have tightened Spurs’ grip on the top eight.

Spurs sit fourth heading into Wednesday evening’s fixtures, and can only be overtaken by Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Atalanta.

That means Spurs have their top-eight hopes in their own hands when they travel to face Eintracht Frankfurt next week.

A win will confirm a top-eight finish, while dropped points - be it a draw or defeat in Germany - would leave Spurs looking for favours elsewhere.

The top eight teams in the Champions League’s revamped league phase table will automatically qualify for the knockouts.

Teams from ninth to 24th place will each contest a play-off game to try to secure their place in the knockouts.