The Champions League knockout playoff draw is complete, and it's delivered a blockbuster: Benfica vs Real Madrid.

Just four days after Benfica stunned the defending champions 4-2 at the Estádio da Luz - with goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin heading home a 98th-minute winner - the two sides must do it all again for a place in the Round of 16. José Mourinho gets another shot at his former club. The first legs take place on 17-18 February, with second legs on 24-25 February.

SeatPick compares ticket prices across the secondary market for all eight knockout playoff ties, helping fans find the best deals from trusted resellers.

Champions League Playoff Draw: All 8 Ties

1st Leg (Home)	2nd Leg (Home)
Benfica	Real Madrid
Monaco	Paris Saint-Germain
Galatasaray	Juventus
Borussia Dortmund	Atalanta
Qarabağ	Newcastle United
Club Brugge	Atlético Madrid
Bodø/Glimt	Inter Milan
Olympiacos	Bayer Leverkusen

Unseeded teams (17th-24th in league phase) play at home first. Seeded teams (9th-16th) have home advantage in the second leg.

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Benfica vs Real Madrid: The Tie of the Round

This is the draw everyone wanted. Four days before the playoff draw, Benfica and Real Madrid met at the Estádio da Luz in the final matchday of the league phase. What followed was one of the most dramatic Champions League nights in recent memory. Benfica won 4-2, with goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin heading home from a corner in the 98th minute to seal an extraordinary victory.

The result sent Real Madrid tumbling from automatic qualification into the playoff round - and fate has now thrown them straight back to Lisbon. José Mourinho, managing Benfica after his return to Portuguese football, will face the club where he spent three seasons.

For Real Madrid, this is about revenge and respect. Los Blancos are the record 15-time European champions, but their league phase campaign ended in humiliation. Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappé will be desperate to make amends. For Benfica, there's nothing to fear - they've already proven they can beat this Real Madrid side, and the Estádio da Luz will be rocking for the first leg.

Tickets are already available on SeatPick for both legs:

Match	Venue	From
Benfica vs Real Madrid (1st leg)	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon	£191
Real Madrid vs Benfica (2nd leg)	Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid	£169

Monaco vs PSG: Clash of the French titans in the Champions League

The French derby adds extra spice to the playoff round. The rivalry between the Principality club and the Parisian giants runs deep in Ligue 1.

PSG are the defending Champions League holders, having won their maiden European title last season. But their league phase campaign was inconsistent, leaving them needing to navigate the playoffs to defend their crown. Monaco, meanwhile, exceeded expectations under Sébastien Pocognoli. The first leg at the Stade Louis II will be a tactical battle before the return at the Parc des Princes.

First leg PSG vs Monaco tickets are available from £244.

Newcastle United: England's Sole Playoff Representative

While Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Tottenham all secured automatic progression to the Round of 16, Newcastle must take the scenic route. Eddie Howe's side face Qarabağ of Azerbaijan - the first Azerbaijani club to reach this stage of the Champions League.

On paper, Newcastle are heavy favourites. The Magpies will travel to Baku for the first leg before hosting the return at St James' Park, where they've been formidable in European competition. For travelling fans, the away leg presents a logistical challenge - Baku is a 4,000km journey from Tyneside. The home leg is available from £165.

Bodø/Glimt vs Inter Milan: Journey to the Arctic

Inter Milan's reward for finishing in the top 16 of the league phase? A trip inside the Arctic Circle in mid-February. Bodø/Glimt, the Norwegian champions, have become the first club from above the Arctic Circle to reach the Champions League knockout rounds. Their Aspmyra Stadion will offer Inter players an experience unlike any other - temperatures in Bodø in February average around -5°C, and it could be significantly colder on matchnight.

Bodø/Glimt famously hammered Roma 6-1 in the Conference League in 2021 under José Mourinho. Inter will be taking nothing for granted, despite the David vs Goliath narrative. The Italian champions will be relieved to have the second leg at San Siro, where conditions will be rather more warmer - and tickets start from just £154.

First Leg Fixtures: 17-18 February 2026

Match	Venue	From
Dortmund vs Atalanta	Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund	£117
Benfica vs Real Madrid	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon	£191
Monaco vs PSG	Stade Louis II, Monaco	£244
Olympiacos vs Leverkusen	Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus	£261
Club Brugge vs Atlético	Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges	£392
Bodø/Glimt vs Inter	Aspmyra Stadion, Bodø	£435
Galatasaray vs Juventus	Rams Park, Istanbul	Coming soon
Qarabağ vs Newcastle	Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Baku	Coming soon

Prices based on SeatPick resale listings as of 30 January 2026. More tickets being added all the time.

Second Leg Fixtures: 24-25 February 2026

Match	Venue	From
Atlético vs Club Brugge	Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid	£149
Inter vs Bodø/Glimt	San Siro, Milan	£154
Newcastle vs Qarabağ	St James' Park, Newcastle	£165
Real Madrid vs Benfica	Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid	£169
Leverkusen vs Olympiacos	BayArena, Leverkusen	£218
Juventus vs Galatasaray	Allianz Stadium, Turin	£305
Atalanta vs Dortmund	Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo	Coming soon
PSG vs Monaco	Parc des Princes, Paris	Coming soon

Prices based on SeatPick resale listings as of 30 January 2026. More tickets being added daily.

Find Champions League Knockout Play-Off Tickets →

Champions League Final 2026: Budapest

The 2026 Champions League final takes place on Saturday 30 May at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. It will be the first time the stadium has hosted a Champions League final, though it previously held the 2020 UEFA Super Cup and the 2023 Europa League final.

Tickets are already available on SeatPick from £2,610, with over 2,000 listings currently on the market. Prices will fluctuate significantly as the tournament progresses and the finalists become clearer - expect demand to spike once the semi-final line-up is confirmed.

Event	Venue	From
Champions League Final 2026 (Sat 30 May)	Puskás Aréna, Budapest	£2,610

What Happens Next?

The eight winners of the knockout playoff round will join the eight teams who finished in the top 8 of the league phase in the Round of 16. The R16 draw takes place on Friday 27 February 2026, the day after the second legs conclude.

The teams already through to the Round of 16 are: Arsenal (1st, 21 points - perfect 8-0 record), Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, and Manchester City.

Key Dates

Round	Dates
Knockout Playoffs	17/18 & 24/25 February
R16, QF, SF Draw	27 February
Round of 16	10/11 & 17/18 March
Quarter-finals	7/8 & 14/15 April
Semi-finals	28/29 April & 5/6 May
Final	30 May (Budapest)

Frequently Asked Questions

When are the Champions League playoff games?

First legs are on 17-18 February 2026, second legs on 24-25 February 2026. Exact dates and kick-off times for each match will be confirmed by UEFA.

Which teams are in the Champions League playoffs?

The 16 teams who finished 9th-24th in the league phase: Real Madrid, Inter Milan, PSG, Newcastle, Juventus, Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen (seeded), plus Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Benfica, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Olympiacos, Qarabağ, and Bodø/Glimt (unseeded).

Why is Benfica vs Real Madrid the biggest tie?

Benfica beat Real Madrid 4-2 on 28 January 2026 in the final league phase matchday, with goalkeeper Trubin scoring a 98th-minute header. The result dropped Real Madrid into the playoffs. Now they meet again just three weeks later, with José Mourinho facing his former club.

Who has home advantage in the playoffs?

Seeded teams (9th-16th in the league phase) play the second leg at home. This means Real Madrid, Inter, PSG, Newcastle, Juventus, Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, and Bayer Leverkusen all have home advantage in the return fixtures.

Where is the Champions League final 2026?

The 2026 Champions League final will be held at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary on 30 May 2026. Tickets are available from £2,610.

What are the cheapest Champions League playoff tickets?

Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta offers the cheapest first leg tickets from £117. For second legs, Atlético Madrid vs Club Brugge starts from £149 and Inter vs Bodø/Glimt from £154.

SeatPick is a ticket aggregator that compares prices across the secondary market. We help fans find the widest selection of tickets from trusted resellers, making it easy to compare options and find the best deals available online. Prices shown are provisional and subject to change as more providers are added.