When is the Champions League draw? Date, start time and how to watch on TV ahead of new knockout format Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Celtic are all chasing Champions League glory this season

will see the knockout play-off round in action for the first time in February, to decide which teams enter the last-16.

The top eight teams in the final Champions League league-phase table will automatically go through to the last-16. They will be joined by the winners from the play-offs; a set of eight two-legged ties between those clubs who finished between ninth and 24th in the league standings.

There are five British sides in the Champions League, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Celtic all hoping to go far in the competition.

Here is all you need to know about the Champions League draw for the play-offs and beyond.

When is the Champions League draw?

The Champions League play-offs draw will take place on 31 January 2025. The start time has not yet been confirmed but the draw for the league stage earlier in the season took place at 5pm GMT.

Real Madrid won the final at Wembley after beating Borussia Dortmind (AP)

How does the draw work?

The teams that finished between ninth and 16th in the league standings will be seeded for the play-offs draw, and they will each be drawn against an unseeded team that finished between 17th and 24th in the table.

The seeded team will have the slight advantage of playing the second leg at home.

Teams will also be paired together in the draw, so the two sides who finished ninth and 10th will be drawn against either the 23rd or 24th placed sides; the teams who finished 11th and 12th will be drawn against either the 21st or 22nd-placed sides, and so on.

The eight winners from the play-offs will meet the top eight from the league phase in the last-16, where straight knockout rounds will run all the way to the final.

When will the play-off matches be played?

The Champions League play-offs will take place over two legs on 11/12 and 18/19 February 2025.



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Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena will host the 2025 Champions League final (Getty Images)

Who has qualified for the knockouts?

Qualified for knockouts, exact round to be determined

AC Milan

Atalanta

Atletico Madrid

Arsenal

Aston Villa

Bayer Leverkusen

Bayern Munich

Borussia Dortmund

Brest

Celtic

Feyenoord

Inter

Juventus

Lille

Monaco

Real Madrid

Qualified for last-16

Liverpool

Barcelona

When is the draw for the last-16 and quarter-finals?

The draw for the last-16 and subsequent rounds will take place on 21 February 2025, after the play-offs have concluded.

Champions League knockout round dates

Knockout phase play-offs: 11/12 & 18/19 February 2025

Last-16: 4/5 & 11/12 March 2025

Quarter-finals: 8/9 & 15/16 April 2025