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.

Critical Perspective on Which countries are set to win extra Champions League places?

//ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/countries-set-win-extra-champions-105212456.html: AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStory by[BBC]Jonty Colman - BBC Sport journalistWed, January 21, 2026 at 10:52 a.m. UTC·4 min readPoland 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.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementUsing 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.

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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.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPoints 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. Countries Extra Champions Extra Champions League Extra Champions League

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.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFor 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 t