We now know the identity of all sixteen clubs ahead of the Champions League last 16 draw.
The UEFA Champions League round of 16 draw quarter-finals and semi-finals draws, will be held on Friday 27 February 2026.
The draw(s) will be held at the UEFA House of Football in Nyon at 11am (UK time) this Friday.
The top eight clubs in the Swiss League phase automatically qualified for the Champions League last 16 draw.
Whilst the sixteen clubs finishing between 9th and 24th in the Swiss League stage went into the play-offs.
These are the eight seeded teams who automatically qualified for the last 16 draw:
Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Spurs, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon and Manchester City.
Then these are the eight teams who qualified via this week’s play-offs for the Champions League last 16 draw:
Real Madrid, PSG, Newcastle United, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Galatasaray, Bodo/Glimt
As stated above, the Champions League last 16 draw will take place tomorrow (Friday 27 February 2026) at 11am.
Who can Newcastle United draw in the last 16?
The way UEFA work with these draws now, we already know that United can only get one of two clubs in the last 16, either Barcelona or Chelsea.
When will we know match dates and times?
UEFA state: ‘The round of 16 match schedule will be available on the night of the draw.’
So by sometime before the end of Friday night,
Will Newcastle United play home or away in the first leg?
The seeded eight automatic qualifying clubs get the benefit of playing at home in the second leg.
So Newcastle United should be at home in the first leg.
However, with Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal all in this last 16 draw, there is the possibility of these UEFA rules/exceptions impacting…
24.02: If two or more clubs from the same city, within a radius of 50km of each other and/or playing in the same stadium, take part in any of the UEFA club competitions, and if the association and the clubs concerned explicitly declare when entering the clubs that their matches cannot be played on the same day or on consecutive days, the UEFA administration may alter or confirm dates and kick-off times in accordance with the principles set by the Club Competitions Committee.
24.03: The UEFA administration decides on match dates and fixture reversals on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the applicable principles set by the Club Competitions Committee. In any case, the UEFA administration reserves the right to impose a match date if the circumstances so require.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham are all seeded clubs, so should all be playing away in the first leg, but that would mean all three playing at home in the midweek when the second legs are played. So would UEFA and all of the other relevant authorities be happy to have any two of the three London clubs playing on the same Tuesday or Wednesday night? As UEFA state, they reserve the right to reverse any fixture, potentially make Arsenal, Chelsea or Tottenham play at home first in the last 16, instead of away.
Anyway, so it appears we will have to wait until Friday night to be absolutely sure whether Newcastle United are home or away in the first leg.
When will the Champions League last 16 matches be played?
The first legs will be played Tuesday 10 March and Wednesday 11 March.
The second legs will be played Tuesday 17 March and Wednesday 18 March.
What happens if Newcastle United get past Barcelona or Chelsea?
On Friday we will also find out who Newcastle United could potentially get in the Champions League quarter-finals.
We know already that this would be one of three teams.
On Friday, Atletico Madrid will find out if they are playing Liverpool or Tottenham in the last 16. If getting to the quarter-finals, Newcastle United would play the winner of that last 16 tie.
Semi-finals and Final
Then if you really want to look as far ahead as the semi-finals, the route to there will then be known as well after Friday’s draw.
There are six clubs that Newcastle United could potentially meet in the semi-finals – Bodo/Glimt, Man City, Sporting Lisbon, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal.
The only four clubs that it is impossible for Newcastle United to meet before the final…PSG, Real Madrid, Galatasaray, Atalanta.
The dates of when all the remaining Champions League rounds will be played, are listed below:
Round of 16: 10/11 and 17/18 March 2026
Quarter-finals: 7/8 and 14/15 April 2026
Semi-finals: 28/29 April and 5/6 May 2026
Final: 30 May 2026 (To be held in Budapest)