The Champions League play-off draw will take place today where the 16 teams who finished 9th-24th in the league phase will find out who they will play in the next stage of the competition.
Five clubs from the English contingent finished in the top eight in the league phase, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City all safely through to the Round of 16.
But for Newcastle, as well as the likes of European giants Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, this morning’s draw will see who they will need to overcome in order to join the five English sides in the last 16.
While the extra play-off fixture is not ideal, PSG proved it can be the foundation to a historic run to the final, as they did last year before toppling Inter in convincing fashion to win the tournament.
Here’s everything we know about the Champions League knockout phase play-off draw today, including what time it starts, how to watch on TV and how it all works.
What time is the Champions League play-off draw?
The Champions League play-off draw will take place today (Friday, January 30) at 11am GMT.
Get your football fix
Don't want to miss the week's biggest football stories? Metro's exclusive football newsletter, In The Mixer, is your essential guide.
From the latest transfer rumours and managerial moves to analysis of the biggest games and a lot more, our experts have you covered.
Sign up here, it's an open goal.
The draw will be held in Nyon, Switzerland.
Where to watch on TV channel and live stream
The draw will be available to watch live on TNT Sport 1.
It can also be streamed live on Uefa’s website and the Champions League app.
How does the draw work?
The clubs are paired based on their positions at the end of the league phase and form four seeded pairs. Those are clubs in positions nine and 10, 11 and 12, 13 and 14, and 15 and 16.
There will also be four unseeded pairs from the league phase standings: positions 17 and 18, 19 and 20, 21 and 22, and 23 and 24.
Clubs in each seeded pair will be drawn against two clubs in each unseeded pair: clubs 9 or 10 against clubs 23 or 24, clubs 11 or 12 against clubs 21 or 22, clubs 13 or 14 against clubs 19 or 20, and clubs 15 or 16 against clubs 17 or 18.
Teams from the same national association can be drawn against each other in the play-offs.
When will the play-off games be played?
Champions League knockout phase
Knockout phase play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026
Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026
Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026
Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026
Final: 30 May 2026
When is the Round of 16 draw?
The round of 16 draw will occur on Friday, 27 February, with the eight teams that advance from the knockout phase play-offs joining the eight teams that qualified automatically from the league phase.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
No comments:
Post a Comment