Correction, 16 September 2026. The previous version misstated the pot system and contained an attribution that could not be verified. Those passages have been removed. This explanation uses UEFA’s 2026/27 regulations.
Pots and fixtures
There are 36 clubs in six pots of six. Each faces one opponent per pot: six matches, three home and three away. Positions 1–8 advance to the round of 16; positions 9–24 enter the play-offs.
A worked example, not a forecast
Consider an imaginary record of three wins, two draws and one defeat. At three points for a win and one for a draw, (3 × 3) + (2 × 1) + (1 × 0) gives 11 points. This illustrates the calculation; it is not a qualifying threshold. A club’s position also depends on other teams’ results.
When reading an interim table, first compare games played. Equal point totals from different numbers of fixtures leave different opportunities to collect further points. A draw pot should not be mistaken for a qualifying group.
Primary sources: UEFA regulations, Article 16: draw and Article 17: matches and standings.
