OFFICIAL: Confirming the 8 teams directly advancing to the Champions League Round of 16

The 2025/26 Champions League league phase has officially ended, identifying the 8 clubs that secure direct entry to the Round of 16, and simultaneously kicking off a thrilling play-off competition.

The 8th and final matchday of the league phase UEFA Champions League 2025/26 concluded in the early hours of January 29 with 18 matches played simultaneously, finalizing the rankings and the teams advancing to the knockout stage.

Under the new format introduced by UEFA last season, the top 8 teams in the overall standings qualify directly for the Round of 16. Meanwhile, teams ranked 9th to 24th must compete in two-legged knockout play-offs to vie for the remaining 8 spots.

The list of 8 teams that have officially qualified directly to the Round of 16 includes: Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Sporting CP, and Tottenham. 

Notably, Liverpool managed to break into the direct qualification group after a dominant 6-0 win over Qarabag in the final matchday, finishing the league phase with 18 points. Previously, Arsenal and Bayern Munich had already secured their spots with impressive performances.

The detailed rankings of the top 8 teams are as follows: Arsenal leads with 24 points, Bayern Munich is second with 21 points, Liverpool has 18 points, Tottenham holds 17 points. The remaining four — Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, and Manchester City — each have 16 points but still qualify directly for the Round of 16.

Among the teams required to play in the play-offs are notable names such as Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, PSG, Benfica, and Leverkusen. Meanwhile, several prominent clubs have been eliminated, including Ajax, Napoli, Marseille, PSV, Villarreal, and Eintracht Frankfurt.

According to the published schedule, the knockout play-offs will take place on February 17/18 and 24/25, 2026. The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for March 10/11 and 17/18. Quarter-finals will occur in April, semi-finals at the end of April and early May, and the final of the 2025/26 Champions League will be held on May 30, 2026, in Budapest.

With the new format continuing to create fierce competition scenarios, the upcoming play-offs promise exciting clashes before the final 16 teams are officially revealed.