Coefficient in focus as Celtic re-enter Champions League arena

This season’s Premiership winners and the runners-up will enter next term’s Champions League a round earlier with the champions in the play-off round and second-placed team in the second qualifying round.

And, as things stand, Scotland’s Champions League entrants will drop to one in 2026-27, entering at the second qualifying round.

Celtic’s opponents on Wednesday, Slovan Bratislava, were one of the unseeded sides in the play-off round this season while Dynamo Kyiv, who knocked out Rangers in the third qualifying round, were a seeded side in the second qualifying round.

Europa and Conference League places will remain available to Scottish teams next year but the year after the Scottish Cup winners will go into the Europa League first qualifying round and overall the country will have four rather than five teams in Uefa competitions.

There is also the risk of no guaranteed league phase involvement across the competitions in the 2026-27 season.

This season is therefore an opportunity to arrest the downward trend.