Champions League Football Tournament Begins

Dear ÖzÜ Students,

The 2026–2027 ÖzÜ Champions League Football Tournament is starting!

Are you ready to bring your team spirit onto the field, play unforgettable matches, showcase your skills, and compete for the championship trophy?

To participate in the tournament, form your team and obtain the “ÖzÜ Champions League Application Form” from the Sports Center office located on the 1st Floor Fitness Area. Complete the form with your teammates’ information and submit your application to the Sports Center Fitness office no later than Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 14:00. Please note that the number of participating teams is limited.

Team selection will be made when the completed team roster is submitted during the application process.

Application Start Date: September 29, 2026
Application Deadline: Thursday, October 8, 2026, 14:00 – Team roster submission
Tournament Start Date: October 17, 2026
Tournament End Date: April 30, 2027

License Document Submission & Draw:
The submission of license documents and the tournament draw will take place on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 15:00 at the Sports Center.

Required Documents:

• Health declaration form, signed by hand, for each player
• 1 passport-size photograph for each player

A minimum of 18 and a maximum of 22 players may be listed on the ÖzÜ Champions League application form.

Each team must include at least 4 international students in its roster. A player’s tournament license will be issued upon submission of the following documents:

1. One team roster/application form
2. A signed health declaration form and photograph for each player

Licenses are issued specifically for this tournament and are valid only for tournaments organized within the university.

The championship is limited to 24 teams. The teams to be selected are listed at the bottom of this announcement.

For questions and suggestions: sportive@ozu.edu.tr

ÖzÜ Champions League Football Tournament – Rules of the Game

1. The official FIFA Laws of the Game shall apply. However, the offside rule will not apply during the group and qualifying matches. The offside rule will apply during the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final.

2. Matches will be played with 10 outfield players + 1 goalkeeper. Each team roster must consist of a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 22 players. A match may start with a minimum of 7 players. A player arriving after the match has started may enter the game provided that they are included on the official team roster.

3. Matches will consist of two 20-minute halves (20+20 = 40 minutes). Half-time will be 5 minutes. Match time will be managed by the referee.

4. Each team must be ready at the scheduled match time wearing its official team uniform. Players may not wear watches, rings, bracelets, chains, or other accessories that may pose a danger to themselves or their opponents. Players must remove such items upon the referee’s warning. A player who fails to comply may be sent off by the referee.

5. Players must wear rubber-soled football boots or artificial-turf/football shoes during matches. Metal-studded boots are strictly prohibited.

6. ÖzÜ Champions League matches will be played on weekends between 12:00 and 17:00.

7. The referee may inspect players’ footwear before or during a match if deemed necessary. If a player is wearing inappropriate footwear, the referee will instruct the player to change it. Failure to comply may result in the player being sent off.

8. If the number of players on a team falls below 7 during a match, the match will be awarded against that team. The team will be deemed to have lost 3–0.

9. Substitutions may only be made with the referee’s permission. Each team is entitled to a maximum of 5 substitutions per match.

10. Any player listed on the official match roster may play as goalkeeper, provided that they are listed before the match begins.

11. Once the match has started, the goalkeeper may not play as an outfield player. Outfield players may only take over as goalkeeper in the event of the goalkeeper being sent off or suffering an injury. If both team captains agree, certain flexibility may be allowed during matches, such as the goalkeeper entering the field as an outfield player or adjustments to waiting time.

12. If the goalkeeper is sent off, the substitute goalkeeper may take their place. If there is no substitute goalkeeper, an outfield player may take over as goalkeeper. In this case, the team will continue with one fewer player.

13. Goal kicks shall be taken from inside the penalty area once the ball is stationary on the ground. Once the ball has gone out of play, the goalkeeper may restart play from anywhere inside the penalty area while the ball is stationary. The ball does not have to leave the penalty area for it to be in play. If an opposing player interferes with the ball before it leaves the penalty area, the goal kick shall be retaken.

14. The back-pass rule shall apply. If the goalkeeper deliberately receives a back-pass from a teammate and handles the ball with their hands, an indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team. The kick may be taken from the point closest to where the goalkeeper handled the ball on the penalty-area line.

15. Each team is responsible for having a copy of its official player list available during the match.

16. Teams must be present at the tournament venue 15 minutes before the scheduled kick-off time.

17. A maximum of 10 minutes of lateness will be allowed after the scheduled kick-off time. This period may be added to the match time at the referee’s discretion. A team arriving more than 10 minutes late will be considered to have lost the match.

18. The tournament format will be determined according to the number of participating teams.

19. In the event of a draw during knockout and final matches, the winner will be determined by a penalty shootout.

20. Team jerseys will be distributed after the group-stage matches.

21. Group-stage matches will be played in a single round-robin format.

22. The teams finishing 1st and 2nd in each group will qualify for the next round. This may be subject to change depending on the number of participating teams and groups.

23. After the group stage, a maximum of 4 additional players may be added to the roster for the Round of 16 and subsequent final-stage matches. The updated roster must be submitted to the Sports Center in writing.

24. Knockout matches will be played as single-elimination matches. If the score remains level at the end of the match, team officials must provide the referee with the list of players who will take the penalties.

Each team will take penalties with 5 players, corresponding to the number of players on the field at the end of the match. If the score remains level after the first five penalties, sudden-death penalties will be taken.

Players who are not on the field at the end of the match may not take part in the penalty shootout. During sudden-death penalties, the goalkeeper who was in goal at the end of normal time may not be replaced, except in the event of an injury.

25. Any objections must be submitted in writing to the Tournament Organizing Committee.

26. If a player leaves the tournament, is eliminated, or is dismissed for any reason and is listed on the championship-winning team, that player will not be eligible to receive an award.

27. After the Round of 16, the remaining teams will be divided into two separate pots for the draw. Teams that were in the same group will not be drawn against each other.

28. The teams losing in the semi-finals will play a third-place match.

29. A maximum of 4 players who are members of the university football team roster may participate in ÖzÜ Champions League teams.

30. Team rosters must comply with the following nationality requirements:

Teams composed primarily of Turkish citizens must include at least 4 international students.

Teams composed primarily of international students must include at least 4 Turkish citizens.

2 players from the required nationality group must be included in the starting XI.

31. A team that does not have the required number of international players will start the match with fewer players.

Example: A team without the required 2 international players in the starting lineup will start and finish the match with 9 players. If an eligible international player arrives later, they may enter the match.

32. Students holding dual citizenship will be considered Turkish citizens.

Penalty and Disciplinary Procedures

1. Matches may be announced via sportive@ozyegin.edu.tr, the tournament WhatsApp group, or MyOzu.

Teams that fail to attend an announced match without providing a valid reason will be eliminated from the tournament, the match will be recorded as a 3–0 defeat, and -3 penalty points will be applied to the goal-difference/standings calculation.

If both teams have a valid reason for being unavailable on the announced date, the team captains must contact the Sports Center and obtain approval for the match to be postponed.

2. Each team will be granted one excused absence during the tournament, provided that the Sports Center is informed at least 2 days before the match.

A second absence will result in the team being eliminated from the tournament, and all subsequent matches will be recorded as 3–0 defeats in the standings.

This rule may be subject to change from year to year.

3. Before or after a match (within 15 minutes), the referee may conduct an identity check at the request of the referee, tournament official, or opposing team representative.

If a player who is not listed on the official team roster participates, or if a player cannot provide a valid Özyeğin University ID, the team will be deemed to have lost the match 3–0.

It is strictly prohibited for teams to field individuals who are not members of Özyeğin University. If such a violation is detected, the team may be eliminated from the tournament.

4. A player receiving a yellow card during a match will not receive a suspension for the following match. However, receiving a second yellow card in the same match will result in a red card and dismissal. The player will be suspended for the following match.

5. A player receiving a red card will be sent off and suspended for the following 2 matches.

If, according to the referee’s report, the player insults or verbally abuses the referee, opponent, or Tournament Organizing Committee while leaving the field, the Organizing Committee may increase the penalty or dismiss the player from the tournament.

6. In cases of arguing with or challenging the referee, physical contact, insulting or swearing at the referee, organization, opponent, or teammate, fighting, inappropriate chants or provocation on the sidelines, or similar misconduct before, during, or after a match, the Organizing Committee may impose additional penalties or eliminate the team/player from the tournament, regardless of the match result or whether the match is completed.

7. A team attempting to field a player who is not listed on the official roster will be deemed to have lost the match 3–0, either immediately or after the match, depending on when the violation is identified.

8. If match-fixing is detected, the team involved will be eliminated from the tournament.

9. Red-card suspensions will carry over to the following tournament.

10. All disciplinary penalties will be communicated to team captains through the tournament WhatsApp group. In addition, all penalties will be recorded in the tournament Google Drive file, where team captains can check the disciplinary records of their teams.