The path to the 2026 UEFA Champions League final in Budapest is now clear following Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland which determined the round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final brackets.
Holders Paris Saint-Germain take on Chelsea in a repeat of last year’s Club World Cup final won by the English side.
Manchester City will face with Real Madrid, continuing a rivalry that has defined recent knockout stages.
The two clubs have now been paired in the elimination rounds for the sixth time since the 2019/20 season, with City having beaten the Spanish giants 2-1 in Madrid during the league phase in December.
Table toppers Arsenal will face Bayer Leverkusen, while Bayern Munich face Atalanta.
Liverpool have been drawn against Galatasaray, Newcastle United return to St James’ Park to host Barcelona, and Tottenham Hotspur face Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid.
Norwegian outfit Bodø/Glimt, who eliminated Inter Milan in the play-offs, will battle Sporting CP for a place in the quarter-finals.
The quarter-final bracket places the winners of PSG vs Chelsea and Liverpool vs Galatasaray on the same side, while the victor between Real Madrid and Manchester City will advance to face either Bayern Munich or Atalanta.
The other half of the draw features potential meetings between Newcastle or Barcelona against Atlético or Tottenham, with Bodø/Glimt or Sporting set to meet either Leverkusen or Arsenal in the last eight.
Should Sporting progress, they could come up against Arsenal and former striker Viktor Gyökeres in the next round.
The round of 16 ties will be played on 10/11 and 17/18 March 2026. Quarter-finals follow on 7/8 and 14/15 April, with the semi-finals scheduled for 28/29 April and 5/6 May. The final will take place in Budapest, Hungary on 30 May 2026.
