JRS Live News: The 2025-26 season, marking the second edition following UEFA's competition format reform, ushers in a new competitive landscape. With all matches of the second round of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League concluded, teams and players finally enter a 20-day break period. The third round will officially commence on October 22. So when exactly will the highly anticipated 2025-26 Champions League Round of 16 commence?
According to official announcements, 36 teams will compete across eight rounds of league-style matches to secure spots in the Round of 16. Unlike previous editions, the new format eliminates the group stage, replacing it with a draw-based system featuring four pots of nine teams.
Each team will face eight different opponents in a home-and-away double round-robin format, with opponents and home/away fixtures determined by random draw. After eight intense rounds, the top eight teams by points will advance directly to the Round of 16. Teams ranked 9th to 24th will compete in two-legged knockout matches for the remaining eight spots.
2025/26 UEFA Champions League Schedule
Group Stage Schedule:
Matchday 1: September 16–18, 2025
Matchday 2: September 30–October 1, 2025
Matchday 3: October 21–22, 2025
Matchday 4: November 4–5, 2025
Matchday 5: November 25–26, 2025
Matchday 6: December 9–10, 2025
Matchday 7: January 20–21, 2026
Round 8: January 28, 2026
Knockout Stage Schedule:
Play-offs: February 17–18, 2026; February 24–25, 2026
Round of 16: March 10–11, 2026; March 17–18, 2026
Quarterfinals: April 7–8, 2026; April 14–15, 2026
Semifinals: April 28–29, 2026; May 5–6, 2026
Final: May 30, 2026 (Budapest)
Results Announced: March 10, 2026
Now you know when the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 matches for the 2025-26 season will take place. The answer is: March 10, 2026. At that time, 16 of Europe's top clubs will engage in fierce competition for spots in the quarterfinals! Let's all look forward to this football extravaganza!