Under the new Champions League format, teams which have finished between eighth and 24th in the league phase will still have a chance to make it to the knockouts.

The UEFA Champions League league phase reached its climax in thrilling fashion, with drama in the races for the eighth and 24th places.

UEFA Champions League multiplex: Where to watch all 18 matches live? Channels and kickoff times

The draw is complete, and we now know all eight match-ups between teams ranked 9th to 24th as they compete for the final spots in the last 16.

Live prediction market forecasts for the 2026 UEFA Champions League winner. Track real-time probabilities via Kalshi and Polymarket. Bayern Munich is our pick.

However, that home-field advantage can effectively be stolen. As mentioned in a report by AS, if a lower-ranked team eliminates a higher-ranked opponent, they will inherit that seeded position for subsequent rounds, meaning progress in the tournament can override league hierarchy.