Qualifying for the Champions League remains the priority for a whole host of European giants at the beginning of each season, but things may have been made slightly easier this year.
With Europe’s premier competition changing its format and expanding from 32 teams, there are two extra qualifying spots to play for in some of the top divisions on the continent. Which leagues will be handed those places depends on the respective UEFA coefficient rankings of various nations.
Those coefficient rankings relate to the performances of clubs in UEFA competitions this season, with only the two countries with the highest coefficients earning the extra qualifying spots.
Let’s take a closer look at next season’s Champions League format, as well as the current UEFA coefficient rankings.
With the Champions League’s format change comes an expansion of the tournament, with 36 teams participating in the competition from the 2024/25 season onwards – four more than the current number of participants.
Despite their being four extra clubs in next season’s competition, only two extra spots will be handed out to European leagues based on their coefficient.
For example, if England finishes with one of the best two overall coefficient rankings for the 2023/24 season, five teams will qualify for next year’s Champions League from the Premier League instead of the current four.
A country’s coefficient depends on the performances of that nation’s participants in UEFA competitions. Ideally, countries want their clubs in European tournaments for as long as possible as it gives them a better chance of climbing the coefficient table.
|
Ranking |
Country |
Coefficient |
|---|---|---|
|
1. |
Italy |
19.428 |
|
2. |
Germany |
17.928 |
|
3. |
England |
17.375 |
|
4. |
France |
15.583 |
|
5. |
Spain |
15.312 |
Serie A are now guaranteed an extra Champions League spot next season due to their coefficient total, while the Bundesliga will be given another European place as things stand.
It’s bad news for the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United as the Premier League currently sits third in the coefficient rankings. There is still a possibility of that changing, but Manchester City and Arsenal’s quarter-final eliminations from the Champions League, as well as Liverpool and West Ham United’s Europa League demises, means it’s all down to Conference League hopefuls Aston Villa.
Even if Villa do win the competition, the three German sides left competing in Europe – Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund – only need to pick up two wins from their respective…
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