Is there a Champions League quarterfinal draw? Bracket format for tournament, explained

As the most esteemed club football competition in the world, the UEFA Champions League is a destination event for many fans across the globe. The format reshuffle in 2024 changed much of the way the Champions League operates, especially the knockout stage where the method of setting the matchups has been altered significantly. Using the new Swiss Model of competition , European football's governing body has reshaped the way that the competition finishes up, eliminating the need for some of the traditional draws and instead using the league-phase table to seed the competition.

So, how are the quarterfinals determined? The Sporting News details how the knockout stage matchups are set. MORE: How to watch 2025/26 Champions League matches in the United States Is there a Champions League quarterfinal draw?

As part of the new format in the Champions League, and indeed all UEFA club competitions, there is no separate quarterfinal draw after the Round of 16 has been concluded. This is because the tournament bracket was already set during the initial knockout-stage draw, meaning each side knows their potential path to the final in Munich . The bracket was formatted during the knockout-playoff draw and then solidified at the draw for the Round of 16.

Even prior to that, the bracket was influenced heavily by the final standings of the league phase. For example, the club that came first or second in the league phase knew they would face the winner of the playoff between the team that came 17th or 18 and the team that came 15th or 16th. As such, unlike in previous seasons, there is no need for a specific quarterfinal and/or semifinal draw.