Who’s in Champions League knockout round? 2026 playoffs, bracket

The Champions League league phase is complete after a frantic final day that saw 18 simultaneous matches.

The 36 teams in the league phase each played eight matches, with 12 of those teams now eliminated from the competition.

The top eight finishers advanced directly to the round of 16, while the ninth to 24th-placed clubs will meet in two-legged playoffs to secure a spot in the last 16.

Arsenal posted a perfect record in the league phase, becoming the first team since the new format was introduced to win all eight games. Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain finished 11th in the standings, which will see the Ligue 1 side only advance to the playoff round.

Below are the final standings for the Champions League league phase.

Champions League standings: Final table

(1-8 qualifies direct to round of 16)

(9-16 advances to playoff phase seeded)

(17-27 advance to playoffs unseeded)

1. Arsenal – 24 points
2. Bayern Munich – 21 points
3. Liverpool – 18 points
4. Tottenham – 17 points
5. Barcelona – 16 points, +8 goal differential
6. Chelsea – 16 points, +7 GD
7. Sporting CP – 16 points, +6 GD, 17 goals scored
8. Manchester City – 16 points, +6 GD, 15 GS
9. Real Madrid – 15 points, +9 GD
10. Inter Milan – 15 points, +8 GD
11. PSG – 14 points, +10 GD, 21 GS
12. Newcastle – 14 points, +10 GD, 17 GS
13. Juventus – 13 points, +4 GD
14. Atletico Madrid – 13 points, +2 GD
15. Atalanta – 13 points, 0 GD
16. Bayer Leverkusen – 12 points
17. Borussia Dortmund – 11 points, +2 GD
18. Olympiacos – 11 points, -4 GD
19. Club Brugge – 10 points, -2 GD, 15 GS
20. Galatasaray – 10 points, -2 GD, 9 GS
21. Monaco – 10 points, -6 GD
22. Qarabag – 10 points, -8 GD
23. Bodo/Glimt – 9 points, +1 GD
24. Benfica – 9 points, -2 GD
25. Marseille – 9 points, -3 GD
26. Pafos – 9 points, -3 GD
27. Union SG – 9 points, -9 GD
28. PSV – 8 points, 0 GD
29. Athletic Club – 8 points, -5 GD
30. Napoli – 8 points, -6 GD
31. Copenhagen – 8 points, -9 GD
32. Ajax – 6 points, -13 GD
33. Frankfurt – 4 points, -11 GD
34. Slavia Praha – 3 points
35. Villarreal – 1 point, -13 GD
36. Kairat Almaty – 1 point, -16 GD

Champions League tiebreakers

If two or more teams were equal on points on completion of the league phase matches, the following criteria was applied, in this order, to determine their rankings according to UEFA:

• Superior goal difference in the league phase
• Higher number of goals scored in the league phase
• Higher number of away goals scored in the league phase
• Higher number of wins in the league phase
• Higher number of away wins in the league phase
• Higher number of points obtained collectively by league phase opponents
• Superior collective goal difference of league phase opponents
• Higher number of goals scored collectively by league phase opponents
• Lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all league phase matches (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points)
• Higher club coefficient

Champions League bracket

The matchups for the playoff round and Round of 16 will be revealed with UEFA’s draw on Friday, Jan. 30, determining the knockout stage bracket.

When are Champions League playoffs? Knockout round schedule

Playoff round

• First legs: Feb. 17 and 18
• Second legs: Feb 24 and 25

Round of 16

• First legs: March 10 and 11
• Second legs: March 17 and 18

Quarterfinals

• First legs: April 7 and 8
• Second legs: April 14 and 15

Semifinals

• First legs: April 28 and 29
• Second legs: May 5 and 6

Final

• May 30 in Budapest