European qualification and UEFA ranking

+ The winners of this season's Clydesdale Bank Premier League are guaranteed a place in the Champions League group stage for 2009/10. See the access list on UEFA's website for details.

+ 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 or 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.

+ Should the SPL runners-up lose in either of the Champions League qualifying rounds they will drop into the Europa League group stage or final qualifying round.

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

+ The new Europa League 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. See the access list on UEFA's website for details. The Scottish Cup winners have one tie to negotiate to reach the group stage 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 Europa League final will take place in Hamburg on Wednesday May 12, 2010.

+ The UEFA country ranking is based on a five-year period and divides co-efficient points earned by the number of clubs competing. For more information on the calculation of co-efficients click here. Scotland's position since the SPL began is shown below:

1998 - 26
1999 - 21
2000 - 15
2001 - 16
2002 - 12
2003 - 9
2004 - 11
2005 - 10
2006 - 11
2007 - 10
2008 - 10
2009 - 13