Which countries are set to win extra Champions League places?
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England and Portugal are currently 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.
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What does the current table look like?
Nottingham Forest's 2-0 win over Porto was a big result for England over Portugal at the top of the race for Champions League places
Matchday three in the Europa League and Conference League saw England's gap at the top of the table cut, following a draw for Crystal Palace and defeat for Aston Villa.
Portugal were able to claw some ground back on England and hold on to place second following a win for Braga. Had Porto won at Nottingham Forest, Portugal would have moved above England.
The big movers on Thursday night were Poland, climbing four spots from seventh to third following a win for Legia Warsaw, as well as Jagiellonia Bialystok and Rakow Czestochowa both picking up draws.
Germany remain in fourth place, while Spain dropped two places to fifth as Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano both drew their matches
Cyprus kept hold of sixth and are level on points with Spain following Thursday's games, one place ahead of Denmark who fell from fifth to seventh.
Italy and France remain unmoved in eighth and ninth, while the Netherlands broke into the top 10 after Go Ahead Eagles, Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar all won their matches.
Current top 10 in race for 2026-27 EPS spots:
England 8.166 (9/9 clubs remaining)
Portugal 7.600 (4/5 clubs remaining)
Poland 7.375 (4/4 clubs remaining)
Germany 7.285 (7/7 clubs remaining)
Spain 7.250 (8/8 clubs remaining)
Cyprus 7.250 (3/4 clubs remaining)
Denmark 7.125 (2/4 clubs remaining)
Italy 6.857 (7/7 clubs remaining)
France 6.071 (7/7 clubs remaining)
Netherlands 5.750 (6/6 clubs remaining)
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