The French and Dutch are neck and neck for fifth place in the UEFA coefficient. A major challenge to be able to field seven representatives on the European scene in 2025-2026.
Poster for the first day of the Europa League, the Ajax-OM clash also symbolizes the match between French and Dutch clubs for fifth place in the UEFA coefficient, which will allow seven representatives to be fielded on the European scene in 2025-2026.
If this duel – often turning into a three-way clash with Portugal – has already animated previous seasons, today it takes on a new significance: France is immediately in a bad position, while the new formula of the League of champions can guarantee him up to four entries in the queen of competitions from 2024.
Narrowly, because AZ Alkmaar had lost to West Ham in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League last May, Ligue 1 had saved its fifth place in the index at the end of last season, which conditions the number of European tickets for its clubs in 2024-2025.
Back on track
Next year, to inaugurate the new formula of the C1, the C3 and the C4, with a mini-championship to replace the group stage, France will therefore have three direct qualifiers for the Champions League and one admitted to the third round preliminary, two in the Europa League and one in the Europa Conference League.
But then ? The UEFA coefficient being calculated over the last five seasons, France lost the benefit of its good 2018-2019 European vintage and slipped this summer to sixth position, even before OM fell to Panathinaikos in the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League.
At the start of the week, before the resumption of the main rounds of the three competitions, it therefore stood at 52.331 points, against 55.100 for the Netherlands, with six representatives still in the running against four for the Netherlands – an advantage to be put into perspective since the points gleaned are divided by the number of clubs entered.
If French clubs fail to redress the situation, they will lose their seventh representative on the European scene in 2025-2026, and will qualify three teams in C1 (two directly and one in the preliminary round), two in the Europa League (including one in preliminary round) and one in the Europa Conference League.
