Between September 19 and December 13, the best 32 teams in Europe competed in the group stage of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League campaign. Over six gruesome Gameweeks, the top two teams qualified from each of the eight highly competitive groups, booking their ticket to the first knockout stage of the competition, the Round of 16.
On Monday, December 18, UEFA will conduct a draw to determine the eight two-legged ties for the pre-quarterfinals, and below, we will discuss all the key details about it. Let’s begin!
UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw: Time & Venue
The Champions League Round of 16 draw will take place at UEFA’s headquarters — the European House of Football — in Nyon, Switzerland. The draw ceremony will begin at 12 p.m. CET (6 a.m. ET).
UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw: Where To Watch In USA
Fans in the USA have multiple ways to watch the Champions League Round of 16 draw. ViX and Paramount+, which have the rights to this season’s Champions League games, will telecast the draw on Monday. FuboTV, which offers a free trial to new users will also stream the draw.
Additionally, UEFA will also stream the draw live on its official website UEFA.com.
UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw: Teams & Draw Rules
To get the most out of the draw ceremony, it is important to learn the rules that drive it. Luckily, they are rather straightforward.
Draw Rules
The 16 teams that have made their way into the Round of 16 are divided into two categories: Seeded and Unseeded. The teams that won their Champions League group are Seeded, while the teams that finished second are Unseeded. Each Seeded team will face an Unseeded team in the Round of 16.
There are, however, a couple of rules that govern the draw. Teams belonging to the same league cannot face one another in the Champions League. This means that Bayern Munich (Seeded) and RB Leipzig (Unseeded) cannot face one another, as they both belong to the Bundesliga. Additionally, teams that were previously in the same group cannot face each other. For example, Group C winners Real Madrid cannot Group C runners-up face Napoli in the Last 16.
Qualified Teams
With the rules out of the way, let’s check out the 16 teams that have qualified for the Round of 16.
| Team Name (Country) | Group | Seeded/Unseeded |
| Bayern Munich (Germany) | Group A | Seeded |
| Arsenal (England) | Group B | Seeded |
| Real Madrid (Spain) | Group C | Seeded |
| Real Sociedad (Spain) | Group D | Seeded |
| Atletico Madrid (Spain) | Group E | Seeded |
| Borussia Dortmund (Germany) | Group F | Seeded |
| Manchester City (England) | Group G | Seeded |
| Barcelona (Spain) | Group H | Seeded |
| Copenhagen (Denmark) | Group A | Unseeded |
| PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) | Group B | Unseeded |
| Napoli (Italy) | Group C | Unseeded |
| Inter Milan (Italy) | Group D | Unseeded |
| Lazio (Italy) | Group E | Unseeded |
| Paris Saint-Germain (France) | Group F | Unseeded |
| Porto (Portugal) | Group G | Unseeded |
| RB Leipzig (Germany) | Group H | Unseeded |
UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Game Dates
Each game in the Champions League Round of 16 will have two legs: home and away. Seeded teams will play the second leg at home.
As per UEFA’s calendar, the Round of 16 first legs will be played on February 13/14 and 20/21. The return leg is scheduled for March 5/6 and 12/13. Two matches will be played at the same time on each day.
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