Newcastle United have secured their spot in the Champions League round of 16 by defeating Qarabag over two legs in the play-off stage. After finishing 12th in the league phase, following a heroic 1-1 draw against PSG, Newcastle missed out on automatic qualification and were required to navigate the extra round to reach the knockout stage.
The Magpies were drawn against Azerbaijani champions Qarabag in the play-offs. Eddie Howe’s side dominated the first leg with a 6-1 victory and followed it up with a 3-2 win at St James’ Park to confirm their progression.
The official Champions League round of 16 draw is set for Friday, February 27, 2026, in Nyon, Switzerland. The ceremony will determine the specific matchups for the play-off winners and the eight top-seeded teams who qualified directly for the knockout stage.
Thanks to the ‘tennis-style’ bracket system, Newcastle already know their potential opponents. Following their victory over Qarabag, they are set to face either Spanish powerhouse Barcelona or Premier League rivals Chelsea. Both teams finished fifth and sixth in the league phase, placing them in Newcastle’s section of the knockout bracket.
In the round of 16, the top-eight league finishers are seeded. As play-off qualifiers, Newcastle are unseeded and must host the first leg of their last-16 tie at St James’ Park.
A key UEFA rule change ensures that seeded teams, such as Barcelona or Chelsea, will host the second leg. This makes Newcastle’s first-leg home performance crucial, as the decisive return match will be played away.
Unlike previous seasons, there is no restriction against teams from the same country facing each other in the knockout rounds. This opens up the possibility of an all-English last-16 tie against Chelsea, adding extra intensity to Newcastle’s European campaign.
The round of 16 fixtures are scheduled for mid-March. The first legs will take place on March 10 and 11, with second legs following on March 17 and 18, 2026, as the competition progresses toward the quarter-finals.
