The draw, conducted by UEFA on Friday, confirmed a series of blockbuster ties as clubs ranked 9th to 24th in the new league-phase format battle for a place in the Round of 16.
Real Madrid vs Benfica: A Quick Rematch
Real Madrid’s tie against Benfica sets up a dramatic rematch following their recent league-phase meeting in Lisbon, where Benfica secured a thrilling 4-2 victory.
The Portuguese side snatched qualification for the play-offs in dramatic fashion, finishing 24th in the expanded 36-team league table — the final qualifying position. Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a sensational late goal to seal Benfica’s place and knock out Marseille.
That defeat also pushed Real Madrid out of the top eight automatic qualification places, forcing the Spanish giants into the play-off round.
Benfica, under the management of former Real Madrid coach José Mourinho, staged an impressive comeback in the league phase after losing their opening four matches. They went on to win three of their final four games to keep their European campaign alive.
The two clubs also share deep European history, having met in the 1962 European Cup final, which Benfica won 5-3.
PSG vs Monaco: All-French Showdown
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will take on Ligue 1 rivals Monaco in an all-French knockout tie.
PSG finished 11th in the league phase after an inconsistent run of form, winning just one of their final five matches. As a result, they missed out on automatic qualification and must now navigate the play-off round.
Monaco, who finished 21st, will host the first leg and will be hoping to take advantage of recent domestic success against PSG, having defeated them earlier in the Ligue 1 season.
However, Monaco have struggled for consistency in recent weeks and currently sit in the lower half of the French league table, making the tie a major test for both sides.
Full Champions League Play-Off Draw
The complete list of knockout phase play-off fixtures is as follows:
Benfica vs Real Madrid
Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain
Bodø/Glimt vs Inter Milan
Qarabag vs Newcastle United
Galatasaray vs Juventus
Club Brugge vs Atlético Madrid
Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta
Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen
Match Dates and What’s at Stake
The two-legged play-off ties will be played on:
First legs: February 17 & 18, 2026
Second legs: February 24 & 25, 2026
Winners of these ties will qualify for the Round of 16, where they will join the eight teams that secured automatic qualification from the league phase:
Arsenal
Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Chelsea
Liverpool
Manchester City
Sporting CP
Tottenham Hotspur
Road to the Final
UEFA has also confirmed the remaining schedule for the competition:
Round of 16: March 10/11 & March 17/18, 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & April 14/15, 2026
Semi-finals: April 28/29 & May 5/6, 2026
Final: May 30, 2026 (Budapest, Hungary)
With heavyweight clashes and fierce domestic rivalries on display, the Champions League play-off round is expected to deliver high drama as Europe’s top clubs battle for a place in the last 16.