Sixteen teams remain in the race for the top trophy in European football. On February 27, 2026, officials meet in Nyon, Switzerland, to decide the upcoming matches. This event is important because six teams from the English Premier League have reached this stage. These clubs include Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Newcastle. The results of this meeting will show the path each team must take to reach the final. Fans and club owners are waiting to see which teams will face each other in the next round of games.
Events and Participants
The draw takes place at the UEFA headquarters. It covers the Round of 16, the quarter-finals, and the semi-finals. This means teams will know their potential opponents for the rest of the season.
Date: Friday, February 27, 2026.
Time: 11:00 AM local time (Nyon).
Location: Switzerland.
English Teams Involved: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Newcastle.
The 2025/26 season is the 71st year of this competition, and the draw decides the knockout bracket for the final 16 teams.
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Official Data and Rules
The draw follows specific rules to decide who plays whom. Teams are often divided into groups based on how well they performed in the earlier stages.
| Stage of Competition | Number of Teams | Key Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | 16 | Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Newcastle, Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG, Atletico Madrid |
| Quarter-finals | 8 | To be decided by Round of 16 winners |
| Semi-finals | 4 | To be decided by Quarter-final winners |
"The Champions League knockout draw takes place on Friday with 16 teams left in the competition, including six Premier League clubs." — Sky Sports
Known Match Possibilities
The rules of the draw mean some teams are more likely to face each other than others. Reports show specific paths for several clubs.
The Situation for Newcastle
Newcastle has moved forward to the last 16. Because of the way the groups are set, they are expected to face either Chelsea or Barcelona. This creates a difficult path for the club as they look toward the quarter-finals. There is also a possibility they could be on the same side of the bracket as Manchester City or Arsenal for the semi-finals.
The Path for Atletico Madrid
Reports from the league phase show that Atletico Madrid will be matched against either Tottenham or Liverpool. This depends on the specific seeding of the teams during the Friday morning event. This part of the draw is fixed based on previous results in the tournament.
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The Remaining European Giants
Real Madrid is listed to play against either Bodo/Glimt or another qualifying team. Other major clubs like PSG, Atalanta, and Bayer Leverkusen are also in the pool. The draw will decide if the English teams have to face these European winners early or if they will avoid them until later rounds.
Expert Observations
Experts from sports news groups note that having six English teams in the final 16 is a high number.
Sky Sports notes that this draw is unique because it maps out the entire path to the final, not just the next game.
UEFA officials confirm that the 2025/26 season has followed a new format, making this knockout stage a major test for the remaining 16 clubs.
Analysts suggest that the "simulated" draws performed by media groups often show "interesting possibilities," but the official draw remains the only binding result.
Summary of Next Steps
The event in Nyon will provide the final schedule for the knockout games. Once the draw is finished:
Clubs will receive their official match dates.
Travel plans for fans and teams will be made for the Round of 16.
The bracket will show which teams might meet in the semi-finals and the final.
There is no information yet on the exact dates for the matches, as these are usually announced shortly after the draw is completed.
