After all Ukrainian clubs completed their European cup participation in the current season, the prospects for Ukraine in the European cups for 2026/27 became clear.
During the current season, Ukraine has fallen to 23rd place in the UEFA coefficient table, which determines the representation of countries in the European cups for 2026/27, and will not rise higher. This means that in the 2026/27 season, the champion of Ukraine will have to start in the Champions League from the 1st qualifying round of this tournament. For Ukraine to start from the second qualification, it needed to occupy a place in the UEFA coefficient table from 15th to 22nd this current season.
However, there is a slight chance that the champion of Ukraine in the 2026/27 Champions League will indeed start from the second qualifying round. This will happen if one of the European clubs receives a direct ticket to the main stage of the Champions League and through both its league and based on the previous European cup season. Then one of the quotas will become vacant, the coefficient table will shift up one line, and Ukraine will be 22nd. But for this to happen, it is important not to drop below 23rd place in the coefficient table by the end of the current season, and this may well happen since Hungary and Romania, which are currently just slightly behind Ukraine in the 24th and 25th positions respectively, still have one representative each in the Europa League ('Ferencváros' and FCSB have reached the playoff round of the tournament for the right to play in the 1/8 finals).
In total, in the 2026/27 season, Ukraine will be represented in European cups by four teams:
— the country champion will play in the Champions League (starting from the 1st qualifying round);
— the holder of the Ukrainian Cup will play in the Europa League (starting from the 1st qualifying round);
— the silver and bronze medalists of the Ukrainian championship will play in the Conference League (both teams will start in the tournament from the 2nd qualifying round).
As for the next European cup season, the representation in it is determined by the final UEFA coefficient table of the previous season, where Ukraine finished in 18th place. Accordingly, in the European cups-2025/26, Ukrainian clubs are faced with the following layout:
— the country champion will play in the Champions League (starting from the 2nd qualifying round);
— the holder of the Ukrainian Cup will play in the Europa League (starting from the 1st qualifying round);
— the silver and bronze medalists of the Ukrainian championship will play in the Conference League (both teams will start in the tournament from the 2nd qualifying round).
Oleksandr POPOV
