With one matchday remaining in the UEFA Champions League group stage, 12 teams have secured qualification to the Round of 16 while there are four more places still up for grabs.
The latest teams to assure themselves of a place in the knockout rounds were Chelsea, Liverpool, Inter, PSG, Benfica, Porto, and Borussia Dortmund, all of whom confirmed qualification on Matchday 5.
They join the five clubs who booked their Round of 16 ticket in Matchday 4: Reigning champions Real Madrid and 2001 finalists Manchester City were the first teams to secure berths into the knockout round, while Italian league leaders Napoli, Germany powers Bayern Munich and Belgian side Club Brugge joined them a day later.
There will be a total of 16 teams that make it out of the group stage as only the top two teams from Groups A-H reach the knockouts, meaning there are just four more open spots left to be claimed: two in Group D and one each in Group E and F.
Real Madrid used a magical run to hoist the trophy during the 2021/22 knockout stages, eliminating a host of continental powers along the way: PSG (Round of 16), Chelsea (quarterfinals), Manchester City (semifinal), and Liverpool (final). They are now just four rounds away from defending their title and adding to their all-time record Champions League haul.
Below are all the details on how the Round of 16 qualifiers are seeded, when the draw takes place, and what the rules are for the knockout stages.
MORE: Champions League updated group standings
Teams in Champions League Round of 16 in 2022/23
The first 12 teams have mathematically clinched berths to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 to be played in February 2023.
There is still one matchday to be played on November 1-2, and we’ll have the final picture for the Round of 16. But we already have 12 teams that are through from seven different groups.
It remains to be seen whether several of these teams will move on as the first-place or second-place team in their respective group. Here are the Round of 16 qualifiers so far grouped by nation:
Nation | Total clubs | Clubs |
---|---|---|
England | 3 | Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool |
Germany | 2 | Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund |
Italy | 2 | Napoli, Inter Milan |
Portugal | 2 | Benfica, Porto |
Belgium | 1 | Club Brugge |
France | 1 | PSG |
Spain | 1 | Real Madrid |
MORE: How much money do Champions League teams win?
When is the Champions League Round of 16 draw 2022/23?
The Champions League Round of 16 draw will take place on Monday, November 7, 2022 at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. It will be held a mere five days after the conclusion of the Champions League group stage on Wednesday, November 2. This will ensure that the knockout stage schedule is set prior to the break for the 2022 World Cup.
The draw is typically held at noon CET, or 6 a.m. ET (11 a.m. BST).
It’s significant whether a team finishes first or second in its group. Teams that win their group will be drawn against one of the eight group runners-up, ensuring what on paper should be a more favorable matchup even though it doesn’t always work out that way.
Teams hailing from the same country and the same group cannot be drawn against one another in the Round of 16. But those restrictions are removed for the rest of the tournament from the quarterfinals through to the final.
The table below is updated to indicate group qualifiers as of Tuesday, November 1, 2022.
Group | 1st Place (Group Winners) |
2nd Place (Group Runners-up) |
---|---|---|
A | Napoli* | Liverpool* |
B | Club Brugge* | Porto* |
C | Bayern Munich | Inter Milan |
D | TBD | TBD |
E | Chelsea | TBD |
F | Real Madrid* | TBD |
G | Man City | Borussia Dortmund |
H | PSG* | Benfica* |
* Current group standings reflected. Club has mathematically clinched a Round of 16 berth, but placement (1st or 2nd) has not yet been determined.
MORE: UEFA Champions League winners all-time
When are Champions League Round of 16 fixtures in 2023
European governing body UEFA spreads out the Round of 16 matchups over the course of a full month. There are three weeks between the first and second leg of each series.
Match | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
---|---|---|
RD16 #1 | Feb. 14, 2023 | Mar. 8, 2023 |
RD16 #2 | Feb. 14, 2023 | Mar. 8, 2023 |
RD16 #3 | Feb. 15, 2023 | Mar. 7, 2023 |
RD16 #4 | Feb. 15, 2023 | Mar. 7, 2023 |
RD16 #5 | Feb. 21, 2023 | Mar. 15, 2023 |
RD16 #6 | Feb. 21, 2023 | Mar. 15, 2023 |
RD16 #7 | Feb. 22, 2023 | Mar. 14, 2023 |
RD16 #8 | Feb. 22, 2023 | Mar. 14, 2023 |
Are there away goals in the Champions League?
Similar to last season, away goals scored will not serve as a tiebreaker during the Champions League knockout rounds if teams are even on aggregate goals.
Instead, series that are even on aggregate goals after the second leg will play 30 minutes of extra time. If the deadlock persists, a penalty shootout will decide the series.
The 2021/22 season was the first since 1965 that away goals were not used as a tiebreaker.
There were only two knockout round series that needed extra time in the 2021/22 tournament and they both involved eventual champions Real Madrid. They knocked off Chelsea in the quarterfinals and Manchester City in the semifinals during the extra session without the need for penalty kicks.
MORE: No away goals in Champions League in 2023
Champions League Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Final in 2023
The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played in a similar two-leg format to the Round of 16, and the team that scores the most goals over the two legs advances.
If teams are level on aggregate goals after the conclusion of the second leg, they’ll head to 30 minutes of extra time and penalty kicks, if necessary.
The quarterfinals will be held in April, the semifinals take place in May, and the final is scheduled for June.
Quarterfinals
After the Round of 16 winners are determined, there will be a quarterfinal draw held on Friday, March 17, 2023 that will establish the rest of the knockout round bracket through to the final.
There is no seeding involved in the quarterfinal draw and, unlike the Round of 16, teams from the same country can be drawn against one another.
Match | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
TBD | Tues, April 11 | Tues, April 18 |
TBD | Tues, April 11 | Tues, April 18 |
TBD | Wed, April 12 | Wed, April 19 |
TBD | Wed, April 12 | Wed, April 19 |
Semifinals
Match | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
TBD | Tues, May 9 | Tues, May 16 |
TBD | Wed, May 10 | Wed, May 17 |
Champions League Final
Date | Match | Time (BST / ET) |
Sat, June 10 | Semifinal winners | 20:00 / 15:00 |