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Liverpool are set to find out their opponents in a quest to capture Champions League glory for a seventh time
Arne Slot speaking
Arne Slot will find out Liverpool's Champions League opponents on Friday
Here's everything you need to know about the Champions League last-16 draw:
Date and Time: The draw for the round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will all be made this Friday, February 27, 2026. The ceremony is slated to commence at 11am GMT in Nyon, Switzerland.
The Automatic Qualifiers: Eight teams have already booked their spot in the round of 16 by finishing among the top eight in the league phase. These teams include Liverpool, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP and Manchester City.
The Play-off Winners: The remaining eight positions will be occupied by the victors of the knockout play-offs, which are due to wrap up on Wednesday. Major teams currently navigating through the second legs include Real Madrid, PSG, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, all of whom play on Wednesday night.
Seeding and Pairings: For the round of 16, the top eight league phase finishers are seeded. They are matched and drawn into specific bracket spots to face a winner from the knockout play-offs, ensuring the highest-ranked teams are distributed evenly.
Potential Liverpool opponents: The Reds are one step closer to finding out who they face in the knockout stages. They could come up against Atletico Madrid, who eliminated Club Brugge in their play-off tie on Tuesday, or the winner of Galatasaray vs Juventus, with the Turkish giants leading 5-2 from the first leg.
Bracket Rules: Under the new format, the draw also outlines the entire route to the final. Once a team is positioned in the bracket on Friday, they will be aware of their potential rivals for the quarter-finals and semi-finals without the requirement for additional draws.
Country and League Protection: A significant alteration for the knockout stages is the removal of 'same-country' protection. Clubs from the same national association (e.g. Premier League clubs) or teams that previously encountered each other in the league phase can be pitted against one another.
UK TV Channel Information: The draw will be aired live on TNT Sports 1. The programme is slated to run for 30 minutes.
Live Stream Details: Subscribers can view the draw via the discovery+ app or website. For those without a subscription, the draw is typically streamed free of charge on UEFA.com, the official UEFA YouTube channel, and the TNT Sports YouTube channel.
Watch Liverpool vs Qarabag on TNT Sports
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