As part of the new UEFA Champions League format for 2024/25, only eight teams from the initial league phase will qualify automatically for the Round of 16.
The other eight sides in that first knockout round will be determined by two-legged playoff matches, which take place in February.
These ties will see teams that finish between ninth and 24th in the league-phase standings drawn against one another, with the aggregate winners across the two legs advancing to the Round of 16 proper, while the losers are eliminated from the competition.
The Sporting News looks at when the all-important draw for this phase of the tournament will take place.
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When is the UEFA Champions League knockout playoff draw?
The draw for the 2024/25 knockout-round playoffs takes place on Friday, January 31.
The ceremony will be held in UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Although no time has yet been confirmed, these procedures usually start at around midday CET (6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. GMT / 4:30 p.m. IST / 10:00 p.m. AEDT).
Which teams are in the Champions League knockout playoffs?
The teams that finish from ninth to 24th in the league-phase standings will qualify for the knockout playoffs.
This page will be updated once we know which teams are definitely going to finish in those places in the table.
Champions League knockout playoff draw rules, regulations
The sides placed ninth to 16th will be seeded for the draw, meaning they will be paired with a team that finished 17-24th in the standings. Those seeded teams will also, in principle, play the second leg of the playoff at home.
Exactly where teams finish in that section of the league standings matters when it comes to their possible opponents. As UEFA states: "For example, teams finishing ninth and 10th will face the sides that ended 23rd or 24th; teams finishing 11th or 12th will be drawn against either the 21st or 22nd-placed sides and so on."
There is no restriction in terms of clubs from the same nation playing one another, or when it comes to teams that have already played each other during the league phase.
When are the Champions League knockout playoffs?
The first legs of the playoffs take place over February 11-12, 2025. The second legs are a week later, on February 18-19.
The draw to decide the Round of 16 ties, plus the bracket for the quarterfinals and semifinals, is held on February 21.
MORE: All the latest Champions League news | How does the 2024/25 Champions League work? | Full UCL match schedule
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