Portugal leads, but Belgium fights for sixth UEFA spot

Belgium remains excellently positioned on the UEFA coefficient ranking: the country is currently in seventh place with 62,450 points, while Portugal occupies the coveted sixth place with 67,350 points. This week the battle for the sixth spot becomes crucial again for Belgium.

Ranking and competition

Portugal remains a major competitor in the fight for the coveted sixth place. The Netherlands is in eighth position with 55,395 points. The gap with the Netherlands is a comfortable 7,055 points. Belgium still needs to make up 4,900 points on Portugal to reach the sixth place.

Belgian clubs and the road to the sixth place

This season Belgium is represented by five clubs in Europe: Club Brugge, Union SG, RSC Anderlecht, KAA Gent and STVV. Club Brugge has so far made the biggest contribution to the Belgian coefficient. The national champion has already contributed 2,000 points to the total this season. Together the Belgian clubs deliver 6,800 points.

For the Belgian clubs the coming weeks and months offer the chance to add extra points to the total. Every win and every draw can be important. The UEFA ranking determines how many European tickets a country receives and at which stage the clubs must start their European campaign.

For Belgium the sixth place on the UEFA ranking is especially attractive. That position can yield a more favourable distribution of European tickets, with more opportunities to enter the group stage of the Champions League directly. This means not only extra sporting chances, but also significant financial benefits. Direct participation in the Champions League brings important revenue to clubs.

Belgian opponents in Europe record big triumphs and painful defeats

It is notable that Belgium has again left the Netherlands behind in recent weeks. The northern neighbours benefited in previous years from strong European campaigns, but recently saw a successful season disappear from their five‑year calculation. The Belgian clubs have performed quite consistently over the past years.

In the 2022‑2023 season Belgium collected 14,200 points, in 2023‑2024 it was 14,400 and in 2024‑2025 even 15,650 points. Last season Belgium finished with 11,400 points. Although that was less than in the previous campaigns, it still provided an important contribution to the five‑year total.

Club Brugge announces its squad. The upcoming European matchdays will be important for the ranking. Belgium has the advantage that all five representatives are still active in Europe for now. This offers possibilities to further boost the coefficient through match results and any bonus points. The task for Club Brugge, Union, Anderlecht, AA Gent and STVV is clear: gather as many European points as possible.

The battle for the UEFA coefficient may at first glance seem mainly a matter of numbers, but it can have particularly large consequences. This concerns not only the clubs that are currently active in Europe, but also the Belgian sides that aim to qualify for the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League in the future.