Which countries are set to win extra Champions League places?

Poland and England are on course to win the two extra Champions League places on offer for next season's competition.

Since the start of the 2024-25 season, when the Champions League's first round expanded from 32 teams to 36, Uefa have handed an extra qualifying place to each of the two best-performing nations in the previous season.

Using Uefa's association rankings, where points are earned by winning and drawing matches in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, the two nations with the highest points get given a direct qualification each for the following season's Champions League.

Throughout the season, teams earn two points for every win and one for draws across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. There are also bonus points on offer for every round reached across the three competitions, although more points are given to teams competing in the Champions League than in the other competitions.

In the qualification rounds, these points are halved.

Points earned are then divided by how many teams from that country entered European competitions at the start of the season.

In the 2025-26 season, England have nine teams competing in Europe. That means all points are divided by nine.

Scotland started the season with five teams competing in Europe. Although Hibernian and Dundee United failed to progress out of the qualifying rounds, three teams remain - but Scotland's points are still divided by five.

For this season, England and Spain were given one extra spot each as they were the two best-performing nations across the 2024-25 campaign. That meant entry to the Champions League was given to Newcastle and Athletic Club.

For the 2024-25 season, Italy and Germany were given the two places, known as European Performances Spots (EPS). Bologna and Borussia Dortmund were the teams granted entry.

Thursday's Conference League league phase finale made a huge impact at the top of the race for extra Champions League places.

England have been knocked off the top of the table after Crystal Palace could only draw with KuPS, and as a result failed to secure a top eight finish in the table.

That allowed Poland, who started the night in sixth, to move up five places in the rankings to top. Rakow Czestochowa finished third in the table, while Lech Poznan and Jagiellonia Bialystok also qualified for the play-offs.

Polish clubs will not earn any points in January as they have no teams in the Champions League or Europa League, so the nation is likely to be overtaken again.

Like England, Germany dropped one place from second to third but did see their Conference League representatives Mainz finish in a top eight spot.

Cyprus were also big movers, climbing three places from seventh to fourth. AEK Larnaca finished in the top eight, with Omonia also securing a play-off place.

Italy dropped two places from third to fifth as Fiorentina finished in the play-offs. Spain also dropped from fifth to sixth, but Rayo Vallecano did secure a top eight spot.

Portugal dropped three places from fourth to seventh, with none of their clubs competing in this season's Conference League.

France remain eighth, but saw their Conference League side Strasbourg claim top spot in the league table.

Current top 10 in race for 2026-27 EPS spots:

Thanks to Nige in Morpeth for the question.

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