Champions League Round of 16 playoff draw: Date, time, teams and where to watch | OneFootball

Round of 16 hopes on the line in Friday’s Nyon ceremony

Champions League Round of 16 playoff draw: Date, time, teams and where to watch

UEFA will hold Champions League Round of 16 playoff draw on Friday 30 January 2026 in Nyon, Switzerland.

European football fans are watching closely as the league phase of the new UEFA Champions League system comes to an end in the 2025 /26 season.

Attention now turns to Nyon, Switzerland where UEFA will stage the draw for the Round of 16 playoff, a stage that has become major turning point under the new format.

This playoff round is the final chance for many top clubs to stay in the competition after failing to finish inside the top eight position.

How the Round of 16 playoff works

The revamped Champions League format has replaced the traditional group stage with expanded league table.

The top eight team qualify directly for the Round of 16

Teams finishing from 9th to 24th enter two leg knockout playoff

Only eight team will survive this extra round

This change has made the playoff round one of the most intense parts of the season, with big clubs now forced to play early knockout matches.

The confirmed clubs include mix of giants and surprise qualifiers:

Date, time and where to watch the draw

UEFA confirmed that the playoff draw will take place on:

Fans can follow the draw live through:

Seeded vs unseeded teams

The 16 team in this stage are divided into two pots:

Seeded teams will have the advantage of playing second leg at home which can be decisive.

UEFA rules also allow clubs from the same domestic league to face each other in this playoff round meaning fans could see local derbies with European twist.

Match dates confirmed

UEFA has also set the schedule for the playoff ties:

The lower ranked teams will host the first match while seeded teams play the return leg at home.