This round of European competitions was beneficial for Portuguese clubs. With victories by Benfica, Sp. Braga and FC Porto (the only club that lost was Sporting, against the powerful Bayern Munich), Portugal’s UEFA ranking improved.
If in the last round the Portuguese clubs had collected 1,400 points, with three wins and a draw, now there are 1,200. Portugal has so far 10,600 points this seasonwon by the four clubs mentioned above and also Santa Clara, which ended up eliminated in the play-offs for access to the Conference League.
Remember that sixth place in the ranking gives a second place of direct access to the Champions League phase and will allow, if Portugal’s rise to sixth place is confirmed during this season, to generate this place in the 2027/28 season.
As far as this era is concerned, Portugal now has the fifth best performancebelow England, Germany, Italy and Spain, in that order. Our Iberian neighbors overtook us this week after a day in which Rayo Vallecano, Betis, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid won. They total 10,609 points.
The annual installment gives the two countries with the best score in the season an extra place each in the Champions League in 2026/27.
The most recent Portuguese performance allows it to get closer to the Netherlands in the ranking in five years. Portugal, ranked seventh, has 63,266 points accumulated since 2021/22. In the same period, the Dutch have 65,366. A distance of around two thousand points that can be achieved this season.
However, it should be noted that the Netherlands have six teams in European competitions, while Portugal has four remaining. Even so, the Dutch only have 7,416 points this season (the points to be awarded are divided between more teams).
Looking down, in this case at Belgium, ranked eighth, this season has been even less positive. They totaled 6,900 points and, over the five years, they have 57,750, a distance of more than five thousand points from Portugal. The Belgians have three teams in European competitions… and the three lost this week.
UEFA RANKING (five years):
1st: England, 104,005
2nd: Italy, 92,017
3rd: Spain, 85,562
4th: Germany, 82,777
5th: France, 75,391
6th: Netherlands, 65,366 (+0,666)
7th: PORTUGAL, 63,266 (+1,200)
8th: Belgium, 57,750 (-)
9th: Türkiye, 47,925
10.o: Chequia,
ANNUAL RANKING (which is worth an extra place in the 2026/27 Champions League):
1st: England, 13,166
2nd: Germany, 11,660
3rd: Italy, 11,071
4th: Spain, 10,609
5th: PORTUGAL, 10,600
6th: Poland, 10,406
7th: France, 10,214
8th: Cyprus, 10,000
9th: Denmark, 9,500
10th: Greece, 8,425
