Champions League 2024/25 Knockout Round: Last 16 draw and seedings explained; which teams will qualify

The 2024-25 season of the UEFA Champions League gears up for its eighth and final matchday of the league stage with a lot at stake. From this season onwards, the Champions League is being played in a brand-new format with 36 teams taking part and all teams playing within one single league.

In August 2024, each team was drawn against eight different teams in the league stage , unlike the previous format where 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four. Liverpool currently lead the league stage standings with 21 points from seven matches whereas Swiss club Young Boys are rock-bottom of the 26-team standings with not even a single point to their name. So far, Liverpool and second-placed Barcelona (18 points) have qualified for the round of 16.

On the final league stage matchday on Wednesday (29 January), all 18 matches will be played simultaneously. Some of the key matches include Barcelona vs Atlanta, Manchester City vs Club Brugge and Arsenal vs Girona. City, in fact, face a must-win situation against Brugge with Pep Guardiola’s side currently in 25th place with eight points, which is outside the qualification spots.

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How does the UEFA Champions League knockout stage work?

The teams that finish the league stage in the top eight of the 36-team standings qualify directly for the round of 16, and these teams that qualify will be seeded in the last 16 stage. The teams that finish in places between ninth and 24th will then play a two-legged playoff contest. Teams between ninth and 16th are seeded and they will face a team placed between 17th and 24th in the playoffs.

The seeded teams will play their second leg of the playoff matches at home. The teams that finish 25th and below are eliminated with no chance of qualifying for the UEFA Europa League. Teams that finish higher in the league stage will have a better pathway towards the knockout stages of the Champions League.

For example, a team that finishes between first to eighth will skip the knockout playoff stage and will take on the winners of the playoff matches, with either of the four teams seeded between 15th and 18th getting to face the team that finishes first or second.

Similarly, a team that finishes in seventh or eighth place in the league stage will get to face one of the teams seeded ninth/10th or 23rd/24th in the last 16.

A team that finishes in 15th or 16th place will face the team that finishes 17th or 18th in the knockout stage playoffs, and the winner of that team will lock horns against the team finishing first or second, in the last 16 stage. Teams that finish 21st or 22nd will face the teams placed 11th or 12th in the playoffs, with the winner getting to face the team ranked fifth or sixth in the last 16.

When will the UEFA Champions League knockout stage draws take place?

The draw for the knockout stage playoff round will take place on Friday (31 January). During this draw, the teams that enter the playoffs will get to know which team they will face. For example, a team that finishes in 13th place will get to know if they face the 19th or 20th ranked team in the playoffs. The playoffs will be held on 11/2 February and 18/19 February.

The draws for the round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final will take place on 21 February. It is also to note that clubs from the same country can be drawn against each other from the knockout stage playoffs, meaning that there is no country protection.

The final of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League will be held at the Munich Football Arena on 31 May 2025.