Cyprus and Denmark Lead Race for Extra Champions League Spots
Cyprus and Denmark are currently positioned to earn the two additional Champions League qualifying places for the 2026-27 season.These spots were introduced starting with the 2024-25 Champions League expansion from 32 to 36 teams, awarded annually to the two highest-performing nations in the previous season’s European competitions.
UEFA determines these rankings based on points accumulated by clubs in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. Teams earn two points for each win and one point for each draw across these tournaments.Bonus points are awarded for advancing through each round, with the Champions League offering a higher point value than the Europa League or Conference League. Points earned during qualifying rounds are worth half the standard value.
Crucially, a nation’s total points are divided by the number of teams it entered into European competition at the start of the season. For example, in the 2025-26 season, England’s points will be divided by nine, reflecting the nine English teams competing in Europe. Scotland’s points are divided by five, despite only three teams remaining in competition after Hibernian and Dundee United were eliminated in qualifying, as thay began the season with five entrants.
England and Spain benefited from this system for the current 2025-26 season, earning extra Champions League berths for Newcastle and Athletic Club respectively, due to their performance in the 2024-25 campaign. Previously, for the 2024-25 season, Italy and Germany secured the two European Performance Spots (EPS), granting Champions League entry to Bologna and Borussia Dortmund.
