Newcastle United will face either Chelsea or Barcelona in the Champions League last-16 next month with the draw set to take place on Friday.
The draw for the Champions League knockout stages takes place at UEFA Headquarters on Friday from 11am GMT.
Newcastle secured progress to the last-16 after finishing 12th in the league phase and beating Qarabag 9-3 on aggregate over two legs in the knockout round play-offs.
The draw last month confirmed Newcastle would face Qarabag in the play-off match while also mapping out a rough route to the final, which included facing either Chelsea or Barcelona in the last-16.
But Friday’s draw will make that clear as all 16 clubs remaining in the competition find out who they will face next in the competition.
When will the Champions League draw take place?
The Champions League knockout stage draw will be made in full at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday, Feberuary 27 from 11am GMT.
The draw will produce a final bracket which will show each club’s last-16 opponents as well as the potential path to the final.
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Who could NUFCface in the Champions League knockout stages?
While Newcastle have reached the last-16 of the Champions League as part of a second group stage, they have never done so in a knockout match.
The Magpies will play either Chelsea or Barcelona in the first leg on Match 10 or 11 at St James’ Park before travelling to Stamford Bridge or Camp Nou on March 17 or 18.
The winners of the last-16 tie will then face either Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool or Atletico Madrid in the quarter-final. The winners of the quarter-final will then face one of Bodo/Glimt, Bayer Leverkusen, Manchester City, Sporting, Bayern Munich or Arsenal in the semi-final.
The club out of Barcelona and Chelsea that doesn’t get drawn against Newcastle will face holders Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16.
As such, Newcastle couldn’t face them, or PSG until the final - should they get there. Newcastle also couldn’t face Real Madrid until the final.
But all of that will become clear on Friday with a clear bracket and each team’s potential route to the final mapped out.
Newcastle United’s potential route to the final
Last-16: Chelsea or Barcelona
Quarter-final: The winners of Atletico Madrid v Spurs or Liverpool
Semi-final: The winners of the quarter-final tie involving the winners of Bodo/Glimt v Manchester City or Sporting and the winners of Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal or Bayern Munich.
Final: Paris Saint-Germain, Galatasaray, Real Madrid and Atalanta are the only teams Newcastle can’t face until the final. Chelsea or Barcelona, Spurs or Liverpool, Manchester City or Sporting and Bayern Munich or Arsenal will also be on the opposite side of the draw when it is made on Friday with the other four being on Newcastle’s side.
The route will also be the same for Chelsea if they are drawn against Newcastle in the last-16 as well as whoever gets drawn against Atletico Madrid out of Spurs and Liverpool.
Champions League fixture dates
Once all the ties are drawn on 27 February, here’s when the games take place:
1st legs: 10 & 11 March 2026
2nd legs: 17 & 18 March 2026
Quarter-final
1st legs: 7 & 8 April 2026
2nd legs: 14 & 15 April 2026
Semi-final
1st legs: 28 & 29 April 2026
2nd legs: 5 & 6 May 2026
30 May 2026 at Puskás Aréna, Budapest, Hungary
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