When is the 2026 Champions League play-off draw and where to watch in the USA

The league phase of the Champions League ended in a thrilling eighth matchday full of adrenaline and unforgettable moments with stadiums vibrating with the passion of thousands of fans and each club leaving their soul on the pitch, knowing that every minute was crucial to qualify or not to the next part of the tournament.

In the midst of spectacular plays and dramatic finishes, eight teams emerged to secure their place in the round of 16. Meanwhile, another 16 are anxiously awaiting to find out who their next opponent will be in the playoffs, ready to prove that they deserve to be in the next phase of the most prestigious soccer tournament in Europe.

Which teams are in the Round of 16 of the 2026 UEFA Champions League?

What is surprising for many Champions League fans is that of the eight best teams that qualified for the round of 16, the current Champions League champion, PSG, is not on the list, nor is any Italian or French team.

Arsenal.
Bayern Munich.
Liverpool.
Tottenham Hotspur.
Barcelona.
Chelsea.
Sporting Lisbon.
Manchester City.

Among the best teams in the league phase of the Champions League are five clubs from the Premier League, one from LaLiga, one from the Bundesliga and only one from the Liga Portugal.

The UEFA Champions League 2025-26 play-off round will be played on 19 and 20 August, with the second legs on 26 and 27 August 2025

The 16 teams that will be looking to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League are:

Real Madrid
Inter Milan
Paris Saint-Germain
Newcastle United
Juventus
Atletico Madrid
Atalanta
Bayer Leverkusen
Borussia Dortmund
Olympiacos
Bruges
Galatasaray
Monaco
Qarabag
Bodo Glimt
Benfica

Among the most exciting stories from the last Champions League matchday was the way in which Benfica of Portugal qualified in the last seconds of their match with an agonizing goal in the 90+8 to leave out the Ligue 1 team, Marseille, by the minimum difference of one goal against.