Arsenal's Potential Champions League Round of 16 Opponents Revealed for 2025-26
Arsenal have secured their place in the Champions League knockout stage with an unblemished record, positioning themselves favorably for another extended tournament run after claiming top spot in the final league phase table.
They'll now enjoy the advantage of facing a presumably moderate opponent in the round of 16, and will host the return legs of all knockout matches at home—a privilege the Gunners failed to earn last season, despite achieving third place in the competition's opening phase.
While discussions about the New England Patriots' "easy" schedule during their surprising Super Bowl LX campaign have been widespread, Arsenal cannot be criticized for taking a simple route to Champions League excellence. Mikel Arteta's team have already defeated Atlético Madrid, runner-up Bayern Munich and Inter.
Fans can therefore relax for several weeks until the round of 16 commences, with Wednesday's matches determining Arsenal's next challenge on their path to the championship.
Below are Arsenal's possible round of 16 adversaries.
Arsenal's Potential Champions League Round of 16 Opponents
Arsenal's Potential Champions League Round of 16 Opponents
Since Arsenal have claimed first position, they'll ultimately meet in the round of 16 one of the clubs that placed 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th in the league phase standings.
According to UEFA's predetermined structure, 15th and 16th (seeded) will face either 17th or 18th (unseeded) in the knockout playoff stage.
Bayer Leverkusen and Olympiacos both climbed into contention with wins against Villarreal and Ajax respectively. Atalanta started the day in a higher position but dropped into Arsenal's bracket following a loss that damaged their hopes of a top-eight finish, with Borussia Dortmund representing the fourth possibility.
When Is the Champions League Round of 16?
When Is the Champions League Round of 16?
There will be no Champions League action for Arteta's Arsenal in February, enabling the Spanish manager to concentrate entirely on domestic competitions during that period.
The opening legs of the round of 16 are set for March 10/11, while the return legs will take place the subsequent week, on March 17/18.