When is the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw?

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·19 February 2025

When is the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw?

The UEFA Champions League round of 16 is upon us as fans, teams and players look forward to the next stage of the competition.

After the conclusion of the knockout stage playoffs, just 16 teams remain in the competition. Eight teams booked their spot directly from the league phase while the other eight qualified over two legs in the playoff round.

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When is the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw?

The likes of Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan and more will find out their opponents when the draw takes place on Friday, Feb. 21 at 6 a.m. ET.

How Does the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw Work?

The draw might seem complicated considering this is a new format, but it is pretty straightforward.

The eight teams qualified from the league phase are broken up into pairs: 1 and 2, 3 and 4 and so on. The clubs in each pairing are drawn into one of two positions in the round of 16. The position they're drawn into will determine their opponents having previously been drawn in the knockout stage playoffs.

So, for example:

Liverpool and Barcelona are the first and second seeds respectively and are paired together
Liverpool is drawn into either the silver side or the blue side of the bracket.
If they are drawn into the silver side of the bracket, they will play the winner of PSG vs. Brest
If they are drawn into the blue side of the bracket, they will play Benfica
Whichever side Liverpool is drawn into, Barcelona will go into the other because of their pairing

Once the draw is complete, all the potential matchups will be known until the final.

Is There a Champions League Quarterfinal Draw?

Yes, there is a quarterfinal draw. But, it is only done to determine the order of matches and which team will host the first leg and the return leg. This process is completed for all quarterfinal games. As mentioned, the potential quarterfinal matches will be known after the round of 16 draw is completed.

Is there a Champions League Semifinal Draw?

Yes, there is a draw for the semifinals in the same way there is one for the quarterfinals. The semifinal draw is completed to know which teams will host either the first leg or the return leg.

Is There a Draw for the Champions League Final?

No, the final will not have a draw to determine home team designation. The team that advances to the final from the silver side will be the nominal home team in Munich, Germany.