When Is The Champions League Draw as Premier League Sides Learn Last-16 Paths
The Champions League knockout-stage draw will take place on Friday at 11am (UK time), an event that finalises the last-16 pairings after midweek play-offs narrowed every side’s potential opponents to two. The question when is the champions league draw has a direct bearing on scheduling: the last-16 first legs are set for 10/11 March, with return fixtures on 17/18 March.
When Is The Champions League Draw — timing and location in Nyon, Switzerland
The draw for the last 16, the quarter-finals and the semi-finals will be made on Friday from 11am in Nyon, Switzerland. Live coverage will begin from 11am on official websites and apps. The round of 16 match schedule will be published on Friday evening, the quarter-final schedule is confirmed for March 19 and the semi-final schedule will be communicated on April 16.
Liverpool's Last-16 Possibilities: Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray
Liverpool will be paired with either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray. Galatasaray emerged as winners from their two-legged knockout play-off tie with Juventus on Wednesday night, while Atletico secured their place in the Round of 16 by overcoming Club Brugge on aggregate on Tuesday evening. The Reds progressed from the league phase as a seeded qualifier in third place; as a seeded side they will be guaranteed to play the second leg of any last-16 tie at home. The first leg of Liverpool’s last-16 tie is scheduled for March 10 or 11, with the return fixture at Anfield on March 17 or 18.
Chelsea's Reunion Risk: Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United
Chelsea will draw either Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United. The Blues secured a top-eight finish in the league phase last month thanks to a 3-2 victory away at Napoli, earning a seeded slot. PSG sealed their spot in the Round of 16 by drawing 2-2 with Monaco in the second leg and progressing 5-4 on aggregate. Newcastle guaranteed their place after eliminating Qarabag with a 9-3 aggregate score. Chelsea’s possible opponents come from two knockout phase play-off ties: PSG versus Monaco and Newcastle against Qarabag.
Seeded and Unseeded Lists: who could face whom
Seeded sides are those who finished in the top eight of the league phase and will play the second leg at home. The seeded and unseeded possibilities are narrowed to two for each seeded team as a result of the play-offs concluding midweek. The pairings are listed as follows:
Arsenal: Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta
Chelsea: Newcastle or PSG
Liverpool: Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray
Manchester City: Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid
Newcastle: Chelsea or Barcelona
Tottenham: Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray
At the start of the week, English sides knew opponents would be one of four; with the midweek play-offs concluding that has been reduced to two possibilities for Friday’s draw.
Premier League contingent and potential domestic meetings
Six Premier League clubs have progressed to the last 16: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle. The earliest opportunity for two English sides to meet is in the last 16, when Newcastle could be drawn against Chelsea. Other all-English meetings cannot occur until the quarter-finals; Manchester City could meet Arsenal in that round, and Chelsea or Newcastle could be drawn against Tottenham or Liverpool at that stage.
What makes this notable is the interplay between seeding and the play-off results: seeded teams earned the second-leg advantage by finishing in the top eight, but the final identities of their opponents were only confirmed after the two-legged play-offs concluded, narrowing the field to two for Friday’s draw.
With the draw set for 11am in Nyon, clubs now have firm windows for planning. The last-16 ties are scheduled across 10/11 March and 17/18 March, and teams will learn within hours who they will face and where the decisive second legs will be played.
