The UEFA Champions League is the most prestigious club competition in European football, featuring the best teams from across the continent. But how do teams qualify for the Champions League? And what are the different stages of the qualifying process?
Teams qualify for the Champions League mainly based on their performance in their domestic leagues, their league’s UEFA coefficient ranking, winning the Europa League or the Champions League.
In this blog post, we will explain everything you need to know about how teams qualify for the Champions League.
How do teams qualify for the Champions League?
The Champions League has 32 teams in its group stage, which are divided into eight groups of four. The group stage runs from September to December, with each team playing six games (three at home and three away) against their group opponents. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, which starts in February and ends with the final in May.
But how do teams qualify for the Champions League? The answer depends on several factors, such as their domestic league performance, their coefficient ranking, and their success in other European competitions.
The basic principle is that each of UEFA’s 55 member associations is allocated a certain number of places in the Champions League, based on their strength and historical results. The Champions League has four spots for the top four ranked leagues in Europe, three spots for teams from the fifth and sixth ranked leagues, and two spots for teams from the seventh to fifteenth ranked leagues. The Champions League also has one spot in the qualifying rounds for each domestic league champion from the other 40 UEFA member associations. You will find the current league rankings here
The champions of each of the top 12 leagues are guaranteed a place in the group stage, while the runners-up and third-placed teams may have to go through qualifying rounds to secure their spot. The fourth-placed teams from the top four leagues also enter the group stage directly, thanks to a rule change in 2018.
However, there are some exceptions and complications. For instance, if the winners of the Champions League or the Europa League are not among the top four in their domestic league, they also qualify for the group stage as an additional team. This means that a maximum of five teams from one country can participate in the Champions League.
Another factor that affects qualification is the coefficient ranking, which measures the performance of each club and association in European competitions over a five-year period. The higher the ranking, the more favourable the draw and the fewer qualifying rounds they have to play. You will find the current club coefficient rankings here
The qualifying rounds consist of four stages: the preliminary round, the first qualifying round, the second qualifying round and the play-offs. The preliminary round involves four teams from the lowest-ranked associations, who play two semi-finals and a final to determine one qualifier. The first qualifying round involves 34 teams, including 33 champions from lower-ranked leagues and one preliminary round winner. The second qualifying round involves 20 teams, including 10 champions from higher-ranked leagues and 10 non-champions from lower-ranked leagues. The play-offs involve 12 teams, including six champions and six non-champions from previous rounds.
The winners of each qualifying round advance to the next stage, until six teams join the 26 automatic qualifiers in the group stage. The group stage consists of eight groups of four teams each, who play each other twice in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group progress to the knockout stage, where they face each other in two-legged ties until only two teams remain for the final.
The UEFA Champions League is an incredibly prestigious and exciting tournament that brings together the best football teams from across Europe. The competition is open to all teams that meet the eligibility criteria, and the qualifying rounds and group stage provide plenty of thrills and spills. The knockout stage and Final are the highlights of the tournament, and the winners of the Champions League are revered as true champions of European club football.
Also read: How teams qualify for the World Cup
