How Scotland could lose automatic Champions League spot for 2025-26
- Published
Scotland's hopes of remaining 10th in the co-efficient rankings rest on the fortunes of Czech side Viktoria Plzen
Scotland will lose its automatic Champions League place in season 2025-26 if Viktoria Plzen secure at least a draw in either leg of their Conference League last-eight tie with Fiorentina.
Czech Republic are closing in on Scotland's 10th place in Uefa's co-efficient rankings.
Rangers, who lost to Benfica in the Europa League, were Scotland's last European representatives this season.
The next Premiership winners will go straight into the Champions League.
And the runner-up will enter at the third qualifying round stage.
But direct entry for the Scottish champions the following season is under threat after Plzen beat Servette on penalties to reach the Conference League quarter-finals, where they were paired with last season's runners-up Fiorentina in Friday's draw.
As the last Czech side left in Europe this term, Plzen's resultswill influence the co-efficient rankings for season 2025-26.
Scotland's title winners - Celtic on both occasions - have had direct entry to the Champions League group stage for the past two years.
The tournament changes next season from a 32-team, eight-group set-up to a 36-club 'Swiss' format where teams play eight different opponents, with four home games and four away.