Champions League 2026 - Qualified Teams, Format, Dates and Fixture Schedules

Champions League 2026 - Format, Dates, Fixture Schedules and Qualified Teams

The 2025–26 Champions League phase concluded with significant shifts in the traditional European hierarchy, marked by last-minute drama and unexpected standings. Upsets, surprises, the last day of the league stage had it all.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Surprising Ascent

The most notable surprise of the league phase was Tottenham Hotspur, who finished in fourth place with 17 points. Despite currently sitting 14th in the Premier League standings, Spurs managed to outperform elite clubs such as Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, and Barcelona. This performance earned them an automatic spot in the Round of 16 and a high seeding for the knockout stages.

Real Madrid’s Fall to the Playoffs

In a major upset, the powerhouse Real Madrid failed to secure an automatic qualifying spot, finishing ninth in the table.

• A "shock 4–2 defeat" away at Benfica.

• A 95th-minute strike by Sporting CP goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, which officially dumped Madrid out of the top eight. They must now compete in the knockout phase play-offs.

Underperformance by Defending Champions and Finalists

• Paris Saint-Germain: The defending champions failed to directly qualify for the next round and must participate in the playoffs.

• Inter: Last season’s beaten finalists also finished outside the automatic qualification zone and will have to work through the playoff round.

• Napoli and Ajax: Both traditional giants were eliminated entirely from the competition, falling below the top 24 threshold by only a few points.

Arsenal’s Perfect Campaign

While the top of the table featured several predictable names like Bayern Munich and Liverpool, Arsenal provided a surprise of consistency. They were the only club to achieve a perfect league phase campaign, finishing first with 24 points. This gives them the "supreme advantage" of carrying a high seeding through to the semi-finals, should they progress that far.

Sporting CP’s High Finish

Sporting CP caused an upset by finishing seventh, ahead of Manchester City. A 3-2 win against Athletic Club made sure they finish in the top 8 and qualify directly for the round of 16.

Teams that Directly Qualified for the Round of 16

• Arsenal

• Bayern Munich

• Liverpool

• Tottenham

• Barcelona

• Chelsea

• Sporting CP

• Manchester City

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How do the knockout stage seedings and home-field advantages work in Champions League 2026?

The knockout stage seedings and home-field advantages for the Champions League 2026 are determined by a team's finishing position in the league phase. The system rewards higher-placed teams with automatic qualification, specific seeding tiers, and the right to host the second leg of their ties.

The Knockout Phase Playoffs (Ranks 9–24)

Teams that finished between 9th and 24th must compete in a two-legged playoff to join the top eight in the Round of 16.

• Seeded Teams (9th–16th): These teams, including Real Madrid, Inter, and PSG, are seeded for the playoffs. They receive the home-field advantage for the second leg of their tie.

• Unseeded Teams (17th–24th): Teams like Borussia Dortmund and Benfica are unseeded. They must open their ties at home and travel to their seeded opponent's ground for the deciding leg.

• The Draw: Seeded teams are broken into pairs and drawn against a specific pair of unseeded teams. For instance, the 9th and 10th-place teams are drawn against the 23rd and 24th-place teams.

The Round of 16 (Ranks 1–8)

The top eight finishers, led by Arsenal and Bayern Munich, skip the playoffs entirely and enter the Round of 16 as seeded teams.

• Home-Field Advantage: All eight top finishers are guaranteed to play the second leg of their Round of 16 ties at home.

• Matchups: These seeded teams are drawn against the winners of the knockout phase playoffs.

Progressive Seeding for the Quarter-finals and Semi-finals

Unlike traditional draws where seeding might end after the first knockout round, this format carries advantages deeper into the tournament for the highest-ranked teams.

• Quarter-final Advantage (Ranks 1–4): The teams that finished in the top four (Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Tottenham) are seeded for the quarterfinals. This ensures they play the deciding second leg of a potential quarterfinal tie at home.

• Semi-final "Supreme Advantage" (Ranks 1–2): Only the top two finishers, Arsenal and Bayern Munich, retain their seeding through to the semi-finals. If they reach this stage, their opponents will have to travel to the Emirates or Allianz Arena for the second leg.

Inheriting Seedings

A unique aspect of this format is that seedings can be "claimed" by underdogs. If an unseeded team (or a team with lower seeding) eliminates a higher-seeded opponent, they take over that seeding position for the subsequent rounds. For example, if an unseeded team from the playoffs eventually eliminates a top-four seed in the Round of 16, they would earn the home-field advantage for the second leg of the quarterfinals.

Schedule for Upcoming Fixtures

• Knockout Phase Play-off Draw: This draw is scheduled for Friday, January 30, at 4:30 PM, IST. It will take place at UEFA's headquarters in Switzerland to determine the specific matchups for teams vying for a spot in the last-16.

• Play-off Matches: These two-legged games will be held over the midweeks of February 17–18 and February 24–25.

• Last-16, Quarter-final, and Semi-final Draw: Once the play-off round concludes, the draw for the remainder of the tournament is scheduled for February 27.

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