European competitions 2009/10

UEFA have made a number of changes to their European competitions for 2009/10 onwards.

The qualification system for the Champions League has changed, while the UEFA Cup has been completely overhauled and renamed as the Europa League. The Intertoto Cup has been scrapped.

Champions League
The winners of this season's Clydesdale Bank Premier League are guaranteed a place in the 32-team group stage for 2009/10.

The runners-up enter at the third qualifying round and will face a third-placed team from Russia or a runner-up from Romania, Portugal, Holland, Turkey, Ukraine, Belgium, Greece and the Czech Republic on July 28/29 & August 4/5. 

The five winners of those ties meet a side from England, Spain, Italy, France or Germany in the play-offs on August 18/19 & 25/26 for a place in the group stage. A separate qualifying competition for the champions of countries ranked 13-53 will also provide five entrants for the group stage.

Group stage berths
3 - England, Spain, Italy
2 - France, Germany, Russia
1 - Romania, Portugal, Holland, Scotland, Turkey, Ukraine
1 - Title holder
10 - qualifiers

The final will take place in Madrid on Saturday May 22, 2010.

Europa League
The new competition will feature a group stage of 48 teams. The holders and the 10 teams beaten in the play-offs for the Champions League qualify automatically and are joined by 37 qualifiers. The top two from each section go through to the knock-out stage, where they are joined by the eight clubs finishing third in their Champions League group.

Scotland have three places for 2009/10. The Scottish Cup winners have one tie to negotiate to reach the group phase as they enter at the play-off stage on August 20 & 27, the third-placed side in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League join in qualifying round three on July 30 & August 6 and the team finishing fourth come in at qualifying round two on July 16 & 23.

The final will take place in Hamburg on Wednesday May 12, 2010.