With the introduction of the Europa Conference League, what does it mean if Portugal catch Russia in the UEFA Coefficient?
Portugal have been embroiled in a battle with Russia in the coefficient ranking for a couple of years now, and they finally look set to catch them.
Most know that surpassing Russia in the rankings will see Portugal earn an extra automatic Champions League group stage qualifying spot, a highly illustrious prize that will see even the third place team in the Portuguese Primeira Liga in with a chance of advancing to the group stage of Europe’s most prestigious club competition, but it also has implications on Portugal’s allocation to the Europa League and the Europa Conference League.
For those unaware, UEFA will be introducing a new club competition from the 2021-22 season onwards, originally named the UEL2 and now given the title of the UEFA Europa Conference League. It will serve as the third tier continental club competition, with the Champions League remaining unchanged as the main tournament, and the Europa League maintaining its status as Europe’s secondary competition.
With this change, while the Champions League will be unaltered, the Europa League will be streamlined and accomodate 32 teams instead of 48; it will therefore, like the Champions League, be made up of 8 groups of four, rather than its current setup of 12 groups of 4.
Another alteration with the Europa League is the fact that, while the sides that finish 1st in the group stage qualify directly for the Europa League round of 16, those that finish 2nd will then have to play against the teams that finish 3rd in the group stage of the Champions League; the winner of each of those ties then join the Europa League 1st placed teams in the Europa League round of 16.
A similar system will be in place for the Europa Conference League, 2nd placed sides in the group stage facing the 3rd placed sides from the Europa League, only it is evidently overall deemed a far less prestigious competition overall.
But what, if anything, is the difference for Portugal between staying in 7th in the UEFA Coefficient Rankings, and jumping above Russia into 6th, with regards to the two Europa competitions?
First of all, all in all Portugal will have 6 teams in European competition overall if they surpass Russia in the rankings, while Russia would then only have 5, and vice versa if Portugal fail to do so. That’s quite a significant difference right from the off, and means that even the team that finishes 6th in the Portuguese top flight could earn a spot in European competition, re-opening the door for the likes of Rio Ave, Boavista and Maritimo to qualify for the group stage.
The other major difference is with regards to the UEFA Europa League. If Portugal fail to overtake Russia in the rankings, they will have no teams automatically qualify for the group stage of the Europa League. Unless, of course, the 2nd place team entering the Champions League goes out in the qualifying rounds. In that case, Portugal would have 1 team in the Champions League, one in the Europa League group stage, and then one allocation space for the Europa League playoff.
However, if Portugal overtake Russia, they will get one side automatically qualify for the group stage of Europe’s secondary competition, not including if the 3rd place team goes out in the Champions League qualifying stages. So quite a significant difference between being 6th and 7th in the coefficient rankings.
With regards to the Europa Conference League, there is no difference; for the competition, no side automatically qualifies for the group stage, but both Portugal and Russia, regardless of who is 6th and 7th in the UEFA coefficient rankings, will get two teams entering at the qualification stages.
