The UEFA Champions League for the 2025/2026 season returns after a break of more than a month, with the seventh round of the group stage kicking off this evening, Tuesday, and concluding on Wednesday night.

The sixth round was held on December 9 and 10, 2025, amid great public attention, especially with the competition for the spots qualifying for the knockout stages.

Tournament system in the league stage:

A total of 36 teams participate in the league stage, arranged in a single unified table. The clubs that finish in positions one through eight qualify directly for the Round of 16, while teams ranked ninth to twenty-fourth advance to the playoff round, which determines the remaining spots in the Round of 16. Teams placed twenty-fifth to thirty-sixth are eliminated from the tournament.

Criteria for separating teams tied on points:

According to Article 18 of the tournament regulations, teams tied on points are ranked based on the following criteria:

1- The best in goal difference during the league stage.

2- The highest in the number of goals scored.

3- The highest number of goals scored away from home.

4- The highest number of wins.

5- The highest number of away wins.

If a tie persists after applying these criteria, the teams are assigned the same ranking alphabetically based on each team's abbreviated name.

In the event that the league stage ends with two or more teams tied on points, the criteria are applied in an extended manner to determine their final ranking, including:

The competitors' team points and their overall goal difference.

The total number of goals scored by the team's opponents.

Total disciplinary points (yellow and red cards).

The club's highest coefficient.

These criteria demonstrate UEFA's commitment to regulating competition and ensuring fairness in team rankings during the league stage, as teams focus on achieving the best results before moving on to the knockout rounds.