Champions League last 16 draw: Date, format, when matches will be played | OneFootball

The inaugural Champions League play-offs have come to a conclusion in Europe's leading and much-changed club competition, with all eyes now turning to the last 16.

The new-look Champions League has already whittled down its numbers, with 20 teams now having exited since the beginning of the league phase in September. Some mighty names have fallen.

The last 16 promises to serve the usual drama associated with elite-level knockout football and the draw will undoubtedly produce some gargantuan ties worthy of the behemoths who remain.

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming Champions League last 16 draw.

When is the Champions League last 16 draw?

The prize every competitor yearns for / Alex Livesey - Danehouse/GettyImages

Play-off winners don't have long to wait to discover their last 16 opponents, with the draw being staged at 11:00 GMT on Friday 21 February at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.

For those wishing to tune into the action, the draw will be streamed live on UEFA's official website.

How does the Champions League last 16 draw work?

The Champions League draw works a tad differently this year / FABRICE COFFRINI/GettyImages

The last 16 draw will pit the eight Champions League play-off winners against the eight sides who finished top of the overall league phase table.

Clubs who qualified automatically for the last 16 are paired based on their league phase positions (e.g. 1 & 2, 3 & 4, etc.) and will face one of two pre-determined opponents - also dependent on final league phase standings and established during the knockout play-off draw.

The draw not only determines the last 16 ties but also which side of the bracket each club falls into, which ultimately affects their path to the final. The first team drawn from each pair will go into one side of the bracket, with the other team placed in the opposite side.

Ties are two-legged and the top eight seeded clubs will host the second leg.

Potential Champions League last 16 ties

Liverpool could face PSG in the next round / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

The eight teams that reached the last 16 automatically based on their league phase performance already know their potential opponents for the next round. Each will face one of two teams - decided during the play-off draw - but will not discover their exact opposition until Friday's draw.

When will Champions League last 16 matches be played?

The Champions League will not return until next month, with first legs of the last 16 being played on 4-5 March and second legs staged on 11-12 March. Each club will play once on a Tuesday and once on a Wednesday.