UEFA confirms new Champions League play-off format and key dates
The end of the league phase in the Champions League is approaching, and attention is already on the play-off draw, which will take place on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 12:00.
Only the top eight teams in the standings secure direct qualification to the round of 16, while teams from ninth to twenty-fourth place will face each other in an additional knockout phase with home-and-away matches, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.
According to UEFA’s new format, teams are paired based on their final league phase positions, with higher-ranked teams drawn against lower-ranked teams. There are no restrictions on matches between teams from the same federation or on rematches from the league phase, opening the possibility for major European derbies.
The first play-off matches will be played on February 17–18, while the decisive return legs will take place on February 24–25, 2026. The winners will advance to the round of 16, the draw for which will be held on February 27, while the Champions League final for this edition is scheduled to take place on May 30, 2026, in Budapest.
