Which countries will have extra sides in Europe in 2026/2027?

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How many English sides will be in Europe next season?

England and Germany are on track to secure the two additional Champions League places available for next season.

Author | Josh T

Champions League | Manchester City v Bayer Leverkusen | View from the stands
Champions League night | City v Leverkusen

The competition expanded from 32 to 36 teams at the start of the 2024-25 campaign, prompting UEFA to introduce two extra qualifying spots for the nations with the strongest overall performance across European competitions in the previous season.

UEFA determines this through association rankings, which allocate points for wins and draws in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. The two nations with the highest totals are each awarded an extra Champions League berth for the following season.

Clubs collect two points for a win and one for a draw across the three competitions, with bonus points awarded for progressing through the rounds. Sides in the Champions League receive greater bonuses than those in the Europa League or Conference League. Points earned in the qualifying stages count for half. A country’s total is divided by the number of clubs that began the season in European competition.

What countries are involved in continental competition this season? 

England have nine sides involved in 2025-26, so all points are split nine ways. Scotland started with five clubs and, despite Hibernian and Dundee United falling short in qualifying, their tally is still divided by five.

This season, England and Spain received the two additional places after topping the rankings across the 2024-25 campaign, allowing Newcastle and Athletic Club to enter the Champions League. In the previous season, Italy and Germany claimed the two European Performance Spots, with Bologna and Borussia Dortmund taking the extra entries.

For next season, the likes of Manchester United will be desperate for a return to Europe. The competition they play in next season could ultimately depend on the performances of their rivals in the Champions League and Europa League this season. In theory, England could have 11 sides playing on the continent next season but this is far too complicated to explain for now. 

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