We are back with football news, and changes are coming to Europe, for its two biggest club competitions. UEFA altering the qualifications for the Champions League and Europa League tournaments. Starting next season, 26 teams will gain automatic entry into the group stage of the Champions League. Currently that is 22. That means the fourth place team in the English Premier League will not need to go to a playoff to earn their place in the main draw.

So this is how things look for the top continental tournament. 26 automatically from Europe's top leagues, the winners of the event, and the Europa League victors – with six qualifying places available.

Every team eliminated in Champions League qualifying get a second chance at continental football, by being added to the Europa League.

And a preliminary round of Champions League qualifying has been added. Essentially a knockout mini-tournament, while in the Europa League they will be played as two-legged ties.

17 teams now gain direct entry to the second event's group stage, including ten teams directly from the Champions League: six eliminated in the league path and four eliminated from the play-offs.