What time is the Champions League knockout phase play-off draw?

The knockout phase play-off draw for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League takes place from 12:00 CET on Friday 30 January.

Check out the draw timings where you are thanks to Hublot, Official Timekeeper of the UEFA Champions League.

From the knockout phase play-offs onwards the tournament is a bracket. The clubs are paired based on their positions at the end of the league phase to form four seeded pairs (clubs in positions 9 and 10, 11 and 12, 13 and 14, and 15 and 16) and four unseeded pairs (positions 17 and 18, 19 and 20, 21 and 22, and 23 and 24).

The clubs in each seeded pair are drawn into the knockout phase bracket, against the clubs in each unseeded pair: clubs 9 or 10 against clubs 23 or 24, clubs 11 or 12 against clubs 21 or 22, clubs 13 or 14 against clubs 19 or 20, and clubs 15 or 16 against clubs 17 or 18.

Sides can face another team from the same national association in the knockout phase play-offs. Clubs could also face opponents they met during the league phase.

Ties take place over two legs and the seeded team will, in principle, play the return leg at home. Each club will, in principle, play once on a Tuesday and once on a Wednesday.

The eight clubs that prevail in the knockout phase play-offs will progress to the round of 16.