Champions League 2025-26: Who Will Battle for European Glory in the Knockout Rounds?
The Champions League has concluded its matches for this calendar year, but the league phase standings remain incomplete.
So far, only six out of eight matchdays in the league phase have taken place, with the final two rounds scheduled for January. We'll only discover which clubs have secured their spots in the knockout rounds once these crucial matches are completed.
The top eight clubs in the league phase standings will directly advance to the round of 16, while teams finishing between ninth and 24th place will compete in a two-leg playoff to earn their place in the next stage.
Teams entering the playoff round receive seeding according to their final league position and are matched in pairs, with the highest eight seeds facing the lowest eight seeds. As an illustration, clubs finishing in ninth and tenth positions will face one of the teams that ends up in 23rd or 24th place.
Although the league phase has yet to finish, here's what the knockout tournament structure would appear like using the present Champions League standings.
2025–26 Champions League Projected Knockout Bracket
Knockout Play-Off—Silver Path
Knockout Play-Off—Blue Path
Last 16—Silver Path
Last 16—Blue Path
2025–26 Champions League Knockout Phase Schedule
