UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw Sets High-Profile Ties
Sports Updated: 27 February 2026 14:57 EAT
The UEFA Champions League 2025–26 Round of 16 draw was completed on Friday, February 27, mapping out the fixtures for the first knockout stage of Europe’s premier club competition.
Manchester City of England will face Real Madrid of Spain, reigniting a high-profile rivalry in European football. Arsenal were drawn against Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen, while Atalanta of Italy will meet Bayern Munich of Germany in a matchup between tactical discipline and continental power.
Atletico Madrid will take on Tottenham Hotspur, and Turkish champions Galatasaray were paired with Liverpool, offering a challenging tie for the English side. Newcastle United, having qualified through the playoffs, will face Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain of France will meet Chelsea of England.
Norwegian surprise package Bodo/Glimt will play Portugal’s Sporting CP, completing the Round of 16 fixtures. The first-leg matches are scheduled for March 10–11, with return legs on March 17–18.
The draw also established the quarter-final and semi-final brackets, giving teams a clear path to the final in Budapest on May 30, 2026. Seeded teams that finished in the top eight of the league phase were drawn against knockout playoff winners, with no restrictions preventing clubs from the same country or previous group-stage opponents from meeting.
Tags: Signs Media Kenya Limited Uefa Uefa Champions League Uefa Conference League Uefa Europa League Editor's Pick
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD