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How the Coefficient System Works

There have been several different systems used to calculate the yearly score and then the multi-year coefficients used to rank associations (thus determining how many clubs each association may enter into European competition) and clubs (thus seeding clubs in the qualifying and main rounds). These systems are detailed below.

2025-26 through present

There are, for the first time, separate calculation schema for the club and association coefficients, with the differences mostly in the treatment of the qualifying rounds. For calculation of the association coefficient, each game during the qualifying rounds of the UWCL and UWEC is worth 1 point for a win, 0.5 for a draw (including the third-place games between eliminated teams in Rounds 1 and 2 of the UWCL). For these qualifying games, a capital 'D' indicates a draw followed by a win on penalties; a lowercase 'd' indicates a draw followed by a loss on penalties.

For clubs, points are not earned during the qualifying rounds except by losing. Teams that are eliminated in the qualifying rounds of the UWCL earn points, even if they then transfer to the UWEC. Teams eliminated in UWCL Round 1 earn 0.5 for 4th, 1.0 for 3rd, 1.5 for 2nd. Teams eliminated in UWCL Round 2 earn 2.0 for 4th, 1.0 for 3rd, 1.5 for 2nd (where the lower scores for 2nd and 3rd are offset by the transfer to UWEC qualifying). Teams that lose in UWCL Round 3 earn 2.0 points. Teams eliminated in the qualifying rounds of the UWEC receive 1.5 points for a Round 1 exit and 2.0 for a Round 2 exit.

Teams reaching the main stage of a competition earn bonus points (which count for both club and association). This bonus is 7 points for the UWCL and 2.5 points for the UWEC. Then, every game afterwards is worth 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. The only exception is that the "knock-out playoff round" played by the teams ranked 5th through 12th in the UWCL main stage counts for the association coefficient, but not for the club coefficient.

In the UWCL, teams that finish in the top 12 of the league stage advance to the knockout stage, and earn bonus points based on their rank (0.25 points for every place above 13th for a maximum of 3.00 points to the first place team). Additional bonus points are awarded for advancing to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final of each competition. These points are 1 per round for the UWCL and 0.5 per round for the UWEC.

2021-22 through 2024-25

For teams eliminated in round one, they are awarded points based on their finish in the four-team mini-tournament they played. Fourth place gets 1 point, third place gets 1.5, and the runner-up gets 2 points. Teams drawn into a three-team tournament have the advantage that you can't be fourth place in a three-team tournament, and are guaranteed at least 1.5 points. All teams eliminated in round two receive 3 points.

Teams that reach the group stage get 4 points for qualifying. Then, they earn 2 points for every win and 1 point for every draw in the group stage and knockout rounds. An additional bonus point is awarded for reaching the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.

2020-21

In lieu of four-team qualifying groups, the qualifying stage was held as two rounds of single-leg matches. All teams eliminated in round one earned 1 point, and all teams eliminated in round two earned 2 points.

Teams that reached the round of 32, either as their starting place or by winning round two, received 3 points. Then, they earn 2 points for every win and 1 point for every draw in the knockout rounds. An additional bonus point is awarded for reaching the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. One first-round pairing was shortened to a single game, which was drawn and decided on penalties. As per the rules that were used in the previous season (see below), each team earned 2 points (1 for the draw and 1 for the unplayed game), then the winning team received the bonus point for advancing.

2009-10 through 2019-20

Qualifying was held in four-team centralized groups. In some years, there were wild cards available to the best-ranking runner-ups. For teams that did not advance, they earned 1 point for each win and 0.5 points for each draw during their three-game qualifying round. Teams that advanced, either as group winners or wild cards, did not receive any points for their qualifying results.

Teams that reached the round of 32, either as their starting place, by advancing through qualifying, received 3 points. Then, they earn 2 points for every win and 1 point for every draw in the knockout rounds. An additional bonus point is awarded for reaching the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.

In 2020, the competition was suspended due to COVID before the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals and semifinals of the competition were held in August as single-leg neutral-site games. For the purposes of the coefficient, the unplayed game was counted as a draw; thus the winner of each match earned 3 points (plus a bonus point for advancing) and the loser 1 point. These games are indicated with a * in tables on this site. The final was played as a single game and scored as usual.

2001-02 through 2008-09

During this time, the competition was known as the UEFA Women's Cup. There were two stages of qualifying, both consisting of four-team centralized groups, prior to the quarterfinals. In the first qualifying round, teams earned 1 point for each win and 0.5 points for each draw. In the second qualifying round, teams earned 2 points for each win and 1 point for each draw. The top two teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinals and earned 1 bonus point.

The quarterfinals, semifinals, and final were all played as two-leg series, with 2 points for a win and 1 for point for a draw in each leg, and a bonus point was awarded for reaching each of the three rounds. In 2001-02, the final was played as a single game, with the typical 2 points for the winner and 0 for the loser.

The Association Coefficient

For each season of UWCL competition, a national association is awarded the average of the points earned by all their competing teams. For instance, in 2023-24, England had three entries. Chelsea reached the semifinals and earned 21 points. Manchester United lost in round two and earned 3 points. Arsenal lost the final of their round one tournament and earned 2 points. Thus England earns 26 / 3 = 8.666 points. Note that, by rule, the quotient is truncated (not rounded) to the third decimal place.

Five years' worth of these averages are summed to determine the national rankings. The 2024 rankings incorporate results from the 2019-20 through 2023-24 seasons. They are then used to determine the number of qualifying teams, and the round of entry for those teams, for the 2025-26 UEFA season, based on the results of that nation's league in the 2024-25 (or 2024, for summer leagues) season.

During the UEFA Women's Cup era (up through 2008-09), association scores for each season were calculated by dividing the nation's competing team's score in half. For instance, in 2006-07, Espanyol won three games in the first qualifying round, and then one game in the second qualifying round. Their score for the season was 5, and Spain's score was 2.5. In the event that an association had two teams in the UWC (which could only happen if the defending UWC champion did not win their league), the average was divided by two. For the 2004 through 2007 rankings, association coefficients were the sum of the last three years' scores. UEFA does not currently have available any rankings prior to 2004.

The Club Coefficient

Each club's coefficient is calculated by summing their last five season's point totals. Then, a floor of 20% of their nation's association coefficient is applied. This means that a team from a strong association which has not previously qualified for European play will still be given some credit for the performance of the other clubs from their country. Coefficients are used to seed teams in the qualifying rounds, the main league stage of the UWCL, and to provide some constraints to the bracket of the UWEC.

For the 2021 through 2024 rankings, the club coefficient was the total points earned by the club for the last five years, plus 20% of their association's coefficient. For the 2011 through 2020 rankings, teams received credit for 33% of their association's coefficient. For the 2010 ranking, they received credit for 50%. From 2005 through 2009, teams earned the full value of their association's coefficient, though as noted above, that was based on half-value of the corresponding team scores. Finally, from 2005 to 2007, team coefficients were calculated based on three years of results. UEFA does not currently have available any club rankings prior to 2005.

Lastly, a Math Teacher's Complaint

Dear UEFA: That isn't what the word coefficient means.