In a pivotal development for the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 season, Arsenal and Bayern Munich have become the inaugural teams to officially secure their places in the Last 16 knockout stage. Both clubs demonstrated exceptional form throughout the group stage, earning their advanced qualification with one match still remaining in their respective groups.
Arsenal currently stands atop the group stage standings, leading all 36 participating teams with an impressive 21 points. Their dominant run has firmly established them as a formidable force in this season’s competition.
Following closely, German powerhouse Bayern Munich has also punched their ticket to the Last 16. The Bavarian giants sit in second place with 18 points, having recorded six wins and one loss. Notably, their most recent outing on January 21 saw them suffer a 2-0 defeat against Union St. Gilloise, yet their overall performance was sufficient to guarantee early progression.
Their early qualification underlines their status as top contenders as the tournament progresses. Of the eight teams slated for automatic advancement to the Last 16, Arsenal and Bayern Munich have wasted no time in confirming their spots.
The race for the remaining knockout berths continues to intensify, with several other prominent clubs still in contention. Among those with strong prospects for reaching the advanced stages are Real Madrid, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Barcelona, Sporting CP, Manchester City, Atlético Madrid, and Atalanta. This season has also seen a remarkable showing from the English Premier League, with six of its teams demonstrating a high likelihood of progressing deep into the European Championship.
Conversely, the journey has concluded for some teams. Frankfurt, Kairat Almaty, Slavia Praha, and Villarreal have unfortunately run out of mathematical possibilities to secure a place in the Last 16. The tournament structure dictates that the top eight teams automatically advance to the Last 16, while teams finishing from 9th to 24th will enter play-off rounds to compete for the remaining eight spots in the knockout stage, promising an thrilling series of matches ahead.
