Which teams qualified for UEFA Champions League Round of 16? Clubs in 2024/25 knockout phase

The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League boasts a complete reorganization of the way clubs qualify for the knockout stage.

With the old group stage scrapped, teams now battle all 35 other clubs in the hunt for a knockout spot, instead of just against the three in their little pod.

All clubs are clumped into one large table, and each must play eight matches to decide their fate. The top eight qualified directly to the Round of 16, while the next 16 sides in the standings were drawn into a nervy playoff round, and the bottom eight sides were eliminated from Europe outright.

The Sporting News brings you a full look at the  qualification picture with the clubs that have secured mathematical qualification either to the Round of 16.

Which teams qualified for UEFA Champions League Round of 16?

The top eight teams in the league-phase table qualified directly to the Round of 16, bypassing the playoff round completely.

It’s an extremely coveted position as the teams not only will avoid the peril of a playoff matchup, but will also be seeded in the Round of 16 draw so they will be partnered with an opponent that finished lower in the table.

With a home win over French side Lille in late January, Liverpool became the first club to confirm a place in the Round of 16, mathematically cemented into one of the eight byes. Barcelona earned passage as well on a 96th-minute winner from Raphinha with one week to spare.

The remaining six teams in the top eight were decided on a quite remarkable final matchday of the league phase. You can see the complete list of ties for the Round of 16 here.

Teams qualified for Champions League Round of 16

Qualified via League Phase

Qualified via knockout playoff round

Feyenoord became the first team to qualify for the Round of 16 via the knockout playoffs as stunned AC Milan in Italy. Having won the first leg 1-0, the Dutch club took advantage of a Theo Hernandez red card to work a 1-1 second leg draw and advance.

PSV managed to mirror that, becoming the second Dutch side to reach the Round of 16 as they too upset Italian giants Juventus in extra-time at home.

Real Madrid advanced past preseason betting favorites Man City, while Bayern Munich inched past a spirited Celtic side on a last-gasp goal. PSG clobbered fellow Ligue 1 club Brest, and Benfica edged past Monaco in a back-and-forth affair.

Teams qualified for Champions League knockout playoffs

Below the top eight Round of 16 byes, the next 16 clubs qualify to the knockout-round playoffs.

Positions 9-16 were seeded in the playoff-round draw and will have the preferred second-leg home match, while positions 17-24 were unseeded.

All teams in these playoff spots were officially confirmed only on the final matchday, with the order of the standings changing multiple times throughout the last games of the league phase.

Below are the finishing positions of the playoff teams and the opponents they were drawn to face on January 31.

Teams qualified for Champions League knockout playoffs