Why finishing in top eight European places means Premier League sides avoiding a February fixture pile-up

Tuesday, 20 January 2026 23:34

Premier League clubs participating in Europe face ultra-congested fixture lists should they fail to finish in the top eight of their respective league phases, with some facing the prospect of nine games in a 29-day period.

Any team finishing in the top eight will avoid playing two extra play-off games as a result of automatically progressing to the knockout stages.

After their win at Inter Milan, not only have Arsenal secured a place in the last 16, but they are also certain of finishing in the top two - which means they will play all their second-leg knockout matches at the Emirates.

Teams finishing between 9th and 24th will play in a two-legged knockout play-offs in February to secure a spot in the next stage.

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There's no respite in Europe's other competitions either. The schedule is the same for both the Europa League and Conference League, despite two fewer group games in the latter.

The first leg in the play-offs for all three competitions will be played in the midweek of February 17-19, with the return fixtures on February 24-26.

These two additional play-off games come at a frantic time for English clubs, with the FA Cup fourth round and Premier League fixtures either side - although Spurs, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace have been knocked out of the FA Cup.

Who qualifies for the Champions League knockouts?

The top eight sides at the end of the league phase qualify automatically for the last 16.

The next 16 sides - ranked ninth to 24th - go into a two-legged play-off against each other to make the knockout rounds.

The bottom 12 teams will be eliminated, with no access to the Europa League.

The knockout ties will be determined at a play-off draw at the end of January.

Does it matter where you finish in the Champions League table?

Yes, especially if you finish in the top eight.

A new rule designed for this season means a higher finish gives you an easier Champions League knockout route in terms of home advantage.

Teams who finish in the top four positions in the Champions League table will be given home second legs for the last 16 and quarter-final rounds.

And the top two teams in the Champions League table will also be given second-leg home advantages in the semi-final stage.

For teams ranked ninth to 24th, the exact league position matters because ties are drawn based on league phase placings. In the play-off round, 9th will play 24th, 10th will play 23rd and so on.

So a team who just missed out on the top eight will be 'rewarded' by facing a team towards the bottom of the league phase, who may have just scraped through.

Could the English teams that finish from ninth to 24th face each other?

The teams that finish from ninth to 16th will be seeded, with those finishing 17th to 24th unseeded.

Seeded teams cannot face one another, and the same goes for unseeded teams.

Who do the English sides have left to play in the Champions League?

Wednesday January 21

Chelsea vs Pafos, kick-off 8pm
Marseille vs Liverpool, kick-off 8pm
Newcastle vs PSV Eindhoven, kick-off 8pm

Wednesday January 28

Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty, kick-off 8pm
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham, kick-off 8pm
Liverpool vs Qarabag, kick-off 8pm
Man City vs Galatasaray, kick-off 8pm
Napoli vs Chelsea, kick-off 8pm
Paris Saint-Germain vs Newcastle, kick-off 8pm

When is the knockout phase play-off draw?

The Champions League knockout phase play-off draw takes place at 11am UK time on Friday January 30.

When is the round of 16 draw?

The draw for the round of 16 takes place on Friday February 27.

When are the 2025/26 Champions League knockout stages?

Play-off draw: January 30, 2026
Knockout play-offs: February 17-18 and 24-25, 2026
Round of 16: March 10-11 and 17-18, 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7-8 and 14-15, 2026
Semi-finals: April 28-29 and May 5-6, 2026
Final: Saturday, May 30, 2026

Where is the Champions League final being held in 2026?

The 2025/26 Champions League final will take place in Budapest at the Puskas Arena on Saturday May 30.

Arsenal's potential fixture list - Arsenal already certain to finish in the top two

January 31 - Leeds (a), Premier League
February 3 - Chelsea (h) - Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
February 7 - Sunderland (h), Premier League
February 11 - Brentford (a), Premier League
February 15 - Wigan (h) - FA Cup fourth round
February 21 - Tottenham Hotspur (a), Premier League
February 28 - Chelsea (h), Premier League

Chelsea's potential fixture list

January 31 - West Ham (h), Premier League
February 3 - Arsenal (a) - Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
February 7 - Wolves (a), Premier League
February 11 - Leeds United (h), Premier League
February 13 - Hull City (a) - FA Cup fourth round
*February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
February 21 - Burnley (h), Premier League
*February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
February 28 - Arsenal (a), Premier League

Man City's potential fixture list

February 1 - Tottenham (a), Premier League
February 4 - Newcastle (h) - Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
February 7 - Liverpool (a), Premier League
February 11 - Fulham (h), Premier League
February 14 - Salford or Swindon (h) - FA Cup fourth round
*February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
February 21 - Newcastle (h), Premier League
*February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
February 28 - Leeds (a), Premier League

Liverpool's potential fixture list

January 31 - Newcastle (h), Premier League
February 7 - Man City (h), Premier League
February 11 - Sunderland (a), Premier League
February 14 - Brighton (h) - FA Cup fourth round
*February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
February 21 - Nottingham Forest (a), Premier League
*February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
February 28 - West Ham (h), Premier League

Newcastle's potential fixture list

January 31 - Liverpool (a), Premier League
February 4 - Man City (a) - Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
February 7 - Brentford (h), Premier League
February 11 - Tottenham (a), Premier League
February 14 - Aston Villa (a) - FA Cup fourth round
*February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
February 21 - Man City (a), Premier League
*February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
February 28 - Everton (h), Premier League

Tottenham's potential fixture list

February 1 - Man City (h), Premier League
February 7 - Man Utd (a), Premier League
February 11 - Newcastle (h), Premier League
*February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
February 21 - Arsenal (h), Premier League
*February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
February 28 - Fulham (a), Premier League

Aston Villa's potential fixture list

February 1 - Brentford (h), Premier League
February 7 - Bournemouth (a), Premier League
February 11 - Brighton (h), Premier League
February 14 - Newcastle (h) - FA Cup fourth round
*February 19 - Play-off first leg, Europa League
February 21 - Leeds United (h), Premier League
*February 26 - Play-off second leg, Conference League
February 28 - Wolves (a), Premier League

Nottingham Forest's potential fixture list

February 1 - Crystal Palace (h), Premier League
February 7 - Leeds United (h), Premier League
February 11 - Wolverhampton (h), Premier League
*February 19 - Play-off first leg, Europa League
February 21 - Liverpool (h), Premier League
*February 26 - Play-off second leg, Conference League
February 28 - Brighton & Hove Albion (a), Premier League

Crystal Palace's potential fixture list

February 1 - Nottm Forest (a), Premier League
February 7 - Brighton (a), Premier League
February 11 - Burnley (h), Premier League
*February 19 - Play-off first leg, Conference League
February 21 - Wolverhampton (h), Premier League
*February 26 - Play-off second leg, Conference League
February 28 - Manchester United (a), Premier League

*Fixtures marked with an asterisk are only applicable if teams finish from ninth to 24th in their respective European league phase to secure a place in the knock-out play-offs

(c) Sky Sports 2026: Why finishing in top eight European places means Premier League sides avoiding a February fixture pile-up