Coefficient rankings explained: Will the Premier League get a fifth UEFA Champions League place next season?
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Updated 01/05/2024 at 23:00 GMT+1
Will the Premier League get a fifth UEFA Champions League place next season? With the battle hotting up in Europe, we run through all you need to know about the coefficient rankings and how they work. With the Champions League expanding next season, there are extra spots up for grabs, but will one of those go to the Premier League or another league in Europe?
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The Premier League's hopes of securing a fifth UEFA Champions League spot next season are in tatters after losing four teams from European competition this week.
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund's performance in the competition, reaching the semi-finals, ensure the Bundesliga will be getting the additional space.
The UEFA Champions League will be changing format next season and expanding from 32 teams to 36.
Two leagues will get an extra place in the competition based on performances in Europe this season, which are measured by the coefficient rankings.
But how do the coefficient rankings work? Where's the Premier League in the rankings? What fixtures could be crucial to deciding the coefficient rankings? And will a Premier League team get an extra Champions League place next season?
We answer everything you need to know…
What is the coefficient ranking?
The coefficient rankings are determined by points gained from clubs across the current season's UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League.
Teams get coefficient points for winning games and reaching different stages of the competitions.
For example, a match win in any of the three European competitions at any stage after qualifying is worth two points and a draw is worth one point.
Teams that make the last 16 of the Champions League get five bonus points, and then one more point for each further round. Teams in the Europa League get one bonus point for each round from the last 16, and in the Conference League there is one bonus point on offer for reaching the semi-final and final.
The total amount of coefficient points gained by clubs from a league are then added together and that score is divided by the number of clubs that league has in Europe in the season.
The Premier League has had eight clubs in Europe this season and has a total of 135 coefficient points. Therefore the coefficient average is currently 17.375 (139 ÷ 8).
What are the current coefficient rankings?
Italy (19.428) lead the coefficient rankings and have secured an extra spot in next season's Champions League.
The battle for second place was between Germany (17.928), England (17.375) and France (16.083).
The Bundesliga had two teams in the Champions League semi-finals, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, with the former drawing the first leg of their last-four clash against Real Madrid 2-2, while Borussia Dortmund beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0.
Bayer Leverkusen, unbeaten across all competitions this season, are also in the Europa League semis.
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England's hopes took a major hit as Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham all suffered quarter-final exits, with just Aston Villa making it to the semis in the UEFA Conference League.
Alongside PSG, France have Marseille remaining, with Alatanta awaiting them in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.
However, the results picked up by the German clubs already mean the Premier League and Ligue 1 are out of the race for the extra place.
| Coeffecient position | League | Coeffecient average |
| 1 | Italy | 19.428 |
| 2 | Germany | 17.928 |
| 3 | England | 17.375 |
| 4 | France | 16.083 |
| 5 | Spain | 15.312 |
| 6 | Belgium | 14.200 |
| 7 | Czech Republic | 13.500 |
| 8 | Turkey | 12.000 |
| 9 | Portugal | 11.000 |
| 10 | Netherlands | 10.000 |
Manchester City and Arsenal were both dumped out of Europe at the quarter-final stage on a dramatic night of UEFA Champions League action. Holders City lost to Real Madrid on penalties, while Arsenal were beaten 3-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich.
The only Premier League success was Aston Villa making it through after beating Lille on penalties.
All games will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Champions League semi-finals
- Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund v PSG
Europa League semi-finals
- Marseille v Atalanta
- Roma v Bayer Leverkusen
Conference League semi-finals
- Aston Villa v Olympiacos
- Fiorentina v Club Brugge
Could a nation get six UEFA Champions League spots?
Italy and Germany could also get six places in next season's Champions League if Roma, Atalanta or Borussia Dortmund win their European competition and don't qualify for the Champions League through their league finish.
There are four rounds remaining in the Serie A season, and Roma currently occupy fifth place in the table, one place and two points above Atalanta, who have a game in hand on them.
In Germany, Borussia Dortmund lie in fifth spot, a position which one point from their remaining three outings will secure.
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Why are extra Champions League places available?
The Champions League is changing next season to a format that will see 36 clubs participate in a new league phase.
The increase to 36 teams means four extra spaces are available.
They will go to:
- The team ranked third in the league table of the country in fifth place in the national coefficient standings
- A domestic champion by extending from four to five the number of clubs qualifying via the ‘Champions Path’
- Two teams whose associations are in the top two places in the season’s coefficient rankings. The places will go to the next-best teams outside the automatic league qualifying places (so fifth place in the Premier League)
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