UEFA Champions League standings and schedule set for the 2026 knockout phase playoffs after league phase ends

The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League “league phase” is finished, which means the “live Champions League table” is now effectively frozen until the knockout phase play-offs reshape the bracket. The competition’s new-format standings have locked in the top eight (straight into the round of 16) and the next 16 (into the two-leg playoffs), with the knockout phase play-off draw completed on Friday, January 30, 2026 ET.

Champions League standings

Below is the final league-phase table position and points total that determine seeding and the playoff matchups.

Champions League playoffs 2026

The knockout phase play-off ties (two legs) are set as follows. The seeded team plays the second leg at home. 

• Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain

• Galatasaray vs Juventus

• Benfica vs Real Madrid

• Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta

• Qarabağ vs Newcastle United

• Club Brugge vs Atlético Madrid

• Bodø/Glimt vs Inter Milan

• Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen

Champions League schedule

Key dates (all dates listed in ET):

• Knockout phase play-offs: first legs February 17–18, 2026; second legs February 24–25, 2026

• Round of 16 draw (plus quarterfinal and semifinal draw): February 27, 2026

• Round of 16: March 10–11 and March 17–18, 2026

• Quarterfinals: April 7–8 and April 14–15, 2026

• Semifinals: April 28–29 and May 5–6, 2026

• Final: May 30, 2026 in Budapest

Behind the headline

This phase of the tournament now runs on incentives more than “form.”

The top-eight incentive is enormous. Finishing 1–8 didn’t just avoid two extra matches; it reduces injury risk, congestion, and the chance of a single bad 180 minutes ending a season. That’s why “live table” drama late in the league phase is so intense: one late goal can be the difference between a clear runway to March and a knife-fight in February.

The playoff incentive is survival, not style. Teams in 9–16 are “seeded,” but the downside is still significant: two additional fixtures where away-goal rule no longer exists, meaning ties can swing on extra time and penalties. That volatility is exactly what the tournament is selling—high-brand matchups early—while also what the top eight are paying to avoid.

Stakeholders are wider than the clubs. Coaches want control of minutes, players want manageable workloads, leagues want their clubs deep in Europe, and broadcasters want recognizable opponents. The new format pushes those interests into direct conflict: the calendar is packed, but the margin for error is thinner than ever.

What we still don’t know

• Exact kickoff times for each playoff tie (UEFA typically confirms times after scheduling logistics are finalized).

• How aggressively clubs will rotate in domestic matches to prioritize February legs.

• Whether any tie becomes effectively decided by availability (injuries, suspensions) rather than tactics.

What happens next

Here are realistic paths the bracket can take, with clear triggers:

1. Favorites cruise through
   Trigger: seeded sides in 9–16 win the first leg away or avoid conceding early goals.

2. A couple of seeded teams get dragged into chaos
   Trigger: an underdog takes a lead into the return leg, forcing the bigger club to chase and open up.

3. Penalties define the first knockout narrative of 2026
   Trigger: teams prioritize risk management, resulting in narrow scorelines and extra time.

4. The March draw becomes the real “bracket moment”
   Trigger: a few unexpected playoff winners create asymmetric paths to the semifinals.

Conference League note

The UEFA Europa Conference League is a separate tournament with its own standings, draw, and knockout schedule; Champions League league-phase elimination does not “drop” teams into the Conference League under the current format.