Champions League final matchday: Why all 18 games kick off at same time tonight?

Another week of the UEFA Champions League is back with 18 fixtures tonight, which will be played simultaneously. All the big clubs will be in action to fight for a direct qualification into the round of 16. Only eight teams can grab the direct qualification, while teams ranked ninth to 24th will compete in playoffs for the remaining eight spots.  

The clubs ranked between 25 and 36 in the final standings will be eliminated from the UCL competition for this year. Tonight will be the last day of the 2025-26 league phase. The seventh round of the UCL concluded with Arsenal beating Inter Milan with a score of 3-1, as they stand top of the table. 

Why do all 18 UCL games kick off at same time tonight?

Amid the 18 fixtures, let us have a look at the reason why all the UCL fixtures are kicking off at the same time. As mentioned before, tonight will be the final day of the league phase of the Champions League 2025-26. 

It is similar to the final day of the English Premier League, as per the new format. Fo;;oing this, the teams are ensured that no team has an unfair advantage by having a later kick-off. Hence, they wont be knowing what they would need to progress in the competition following the same time kick off. 

The rule came about after the 1982 World Cup group stage match, which was held between West Germany and Austria. Both sides knew a 1-0 win for the Germans was enough for both to qualify above Algeria, who had already played Chile before them, the previous day. 

West Germany went on to score in the first half of the game. A perceived lack of effort from both sides in the second half led to Alegeria file a formal complaint to FIFA. Later, the governing body of the competition stated that the teams did not go against any rules; however, they did change thestructure. Hence, the final group stage games were played simultaneously at the World Cup.  

In the Champions League, the schedule came in when the new league phase format began this season. Meanwhile, talking about the points table, Arsenal are currently at the top of the UCL table and leading the English Premier League table. They are followed by Bayern Munich in second. Real Madrid and Liverpool closely follow them from fourth and fifth, mrespectivey with Paris Saint-Germain at fifth.  

ALSO READ: Champions League points table: What happens if teams are level on league phase?