By Ewan Murray
Qualifying for the Champions League remains the priority for a whole host of European giants at the beginning of each season, but things may have been made slightly easier this year.
With Europe's premier competition changing its format and expanding from 32 teams, there are two extra qualifying spots to play for in some of the top divisions on the continent. Which leagues will be handed those places depends on the respective UEFA coefficient rankings of various nations.
Those coefficient rankings relate to the performances of clubs in UEFA competitions this season, with only the two countries with the highest coefficients earning the extra qualifying spots.
Let's take a closer look at next season's Champions League format, as well as the current UEFA coefficient rankings.
How many teams qualify for the 2024/25 Champions League?
With the Champions League's format change comes an expansion of the tournament, with 36 teams participating in the competition from the 2024/25 season onwards - four more than the current number of participants.
Despite their being four extra clubs in next season's competition, only two extra spots will be handed out to European leagues based on their coefficient.
For example, if England finishes with one of the best two overall coefficient rankings for the 2023/24 season, five teams will qualify for next year's Champions League from the Premier League instead of the current four.
A country's coefficient depends on the performances of that nation's participants in UEFA competitions. Ideally, countries want their clubs in European tournaments for as long as possible as it gives them a better chance of climbing the coefficient table.
Current 2023/24 UEFA coefficient table
Serie A are now guaranteed an extra Champions League spot next season due to their coefficient total, while the Bundesliga will be given another European place as things stand.
It's bad news for the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United as the Premier League currently sits third in the coefficient rankings. There is still a possibility of that changing, but Manchester City and Arsenal's quarter-final eliminations from the Champions League, as well as Liverpool and West Ham United's Europa League demises, means it's all down to Conference League hopefuls Aston Villa.
Even if Villa do win the competition, the three German sides left competing in Europe - Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - only need to pick up two wins from their respective semi-finals.
What is the new Champions League format for 2024/25?
As previously stated, the 2024/25 Champions League will see 36 teams compete, but that's not the only change. The group stage has been done away with and replaced by a single league table, with teams in the competition playing eight times during the league phase.
Half of those games will be home and the other half away, with fixtures determined by clubs being seeded in four different pots. Each team will play two sides from each pot, with one home and away fixture against a club from each pot.
The teams that finish in the top eight in the league phase automatically qualify for the last 16, while teams from ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout playoff. Teams from ninth to 16th will face sides from 17th to 24th in this play-off.
From the round of 16 onwards, the competition will be unchanged from its current format.
Full breakdown of 36 spots available for 2024/25 Champions League
Can six teams from one country qualify for the Champions League?
The short answer is yes, If a team from one of the nations with one of the top two coefficients were to win the Europa League but fail to qualify for the Champions League domestically, then their respective league could have six teams represented next season.
For example, if Roma were to win this season's Europa League and finish outside the top five in Serie A, then they would join the Italian teams that qualified for the Champions League domestically in next season's competition - Italy have secured one of the two highest coefficients.
The same applies if Dortmund win the Champions League - sixth place in the Bundesliga would also be given a seat at European football's top table if they finish fifth.
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as UEFA coefficient: Which two countries will earn extra Champions League spot?.
