Once the eight winners of the play-offs have been determined they can progress to the last 16, where they will meet the top eight finishers from the league phase.
From this point onward the competition adopts a knockout format, with each fixture other than the final contested over two legs.
As with the play-offs, teams’ final ranking in the league phase will influence seeding in the last 16, with seeded sides – those that finished in the top eight of the league – being given the advantage of playing their second fixture at home.
This is the first season that the position in which teams have placed in the league phase will also influence seeding for the quarter-final and semi-finals.
Teams finishing first to fourth at the end of the league phase will be seeded for the quarter-finals, and therefore given the second leg home advantage for their potential quarter-final tie.
The two sides who finish top and runner-up in the league will also be seeded for the semi-finals, earning them the benefit of playing the second leg of their semi-final tie at home should they reach that stage.
If a seeded team does not progress to the quarter or semi-finals, the team that knocked them out inherits their seeding position.
