Portugal could have up to four teams in next season’s Champions League. For this to happen, Braga could win all three of their matches to secure the trophy, while the Spanish teams could lose all of theirs.
After a sensational European night for Sporting Braga, who were losing 2-0 against Betis and ended up confirming their passage to the Europa League semi-finals with a 4-2 comeback, there is an unlikely scenario on the table, but one that is not impossible: and it could be very pleasing to Portuguese teams.
The discussion here revolves around earning an extra Champions League spot for being one of the best-performing countries in Europe this season, which would consequently mean having four teams in the next Champions League.
But let’s take it one step at a time.
Looking at the UEFA ranking for 2025/26, Portugal is the fourth country with the highest number of accumulated coefficient points (20,100 points). Therefore, a perfect campaign for Braga until the end of the competition – that is, three wins in three games and the Europa League title – would make Portugal the second country with the most points in this season’s ranking (meaning one more place in the Champions League).
So let’s do the math. Each victory is worth two points, and winning the final results in an extra point. This means that, in total, Portugal would have 21,500 points and thus rise to second place in the ranking. Then, we need to look at the two countries that are currently ahead of Portugal and have the possibility of grabbing that second spot (England is in first place and doesn’t count, a spot is surely theirs).
Going back, therefore, they had 21,500 points and, to be the second highest-scoring country in the annual ranking, a miracle was needed. First of all, both Spanish teams had to lose both of their semi-final matches.
Remember that Atlético Madrid is in the Champions League semi-finals and will face Arsenal, while Rayo Vallecano is also in the semi-finals, but of the Conference League, and will play against Strasbourg. If both teams were to lose their two games, Spain would have 21,406 points, below Portugal’s 21,500.
Furthermore, it was necessary for Bayern Munich to win only one game, or draw both, against PSG in the Champions League semi-finals, and naturally be eliminated, of course.
This is because Freiburg faces Sporting Braga in the Europa League final, and only two Braga victories would support this theory. In this case, with Freiburg losing both games and Bayern winning one (or drawing two) and being eliminated, Germany would reach 21,499 points, exactly 0.001 less than Portugal’s 21,500.
Will four Portuguese teams be in next year’s Champions League?
The most curious thing is that if Sporting Braga were to place Portugal as the second-best country in European performance this season, that would mean not one… but two extra places in next season’s Champions League. And both with direct entry into the group stage: one for Sporting Braga, as winner of the Europa League, and another due to the country’s good performance in the UEFA ranking.
In this case, the champion would have direct entry into the Champions League group stage by virtue of being the champion (as happens every season), and the runner-up would also have direct entry into the group stage due to the extra spot for performance. Meanwhile, Sporting Braga would have direct entry into the group stage as the winner of the Europa League.
The third-placed team = which, it should be remembered, mathematically can no longer be Sporting Braga = would take the spot that Portugal has every season in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.
It’s a very difficult situation to achieve, but it’s not impossible: all the stars just need to align to produce a miracle for Portuguese football.