After a thrilling finish to the UEFA Champions League’s first-ever league phase, the competition gears up for its inaugural knockout phase playoffs with Friday’s draw. The teams that finished from ninth to 24th in the league will participate, vying for a spot in the round of 16 against the top eight teams.
Important Teams
- Reigning Champions: Real Madrid
- 2023 Winners: Manchester City
- 2020 Champions: Bayern Munich
Draw Details
Date: Friday, Jan. 31 | Time: 6 a.m. ET
Location: House of European Football, Nyon, Switzerland
Watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network
Teams in the Knockout Phase Playoffs
- Atalanta
- Borussia Dortmund
- Real Madrid
- Bayern Munich
- AC Milan
- PSV
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Benfica
- Monaco
- Brest
- Feyenoord
- Juventus
- Celtic
- Manchester City
- Sporting Lisbon
- Club Brugge
Future Matchups
The top eight teams will be seeded for the round of 16, with the winners from the knockout playoffs being unseeded. Key dates include:
- Jan. 31: Draw for the knockout phase playoffs
- Feb. 11 - Feb. 19: Knockout phase playoffs
- Feb. 21: Draw for the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final
- May 31: Final match
What is the process for the knockout stages? Teams will play two-legged series, with aggregate scores determining who advances. The away goals rule is not applied.
