The automatic Champions League group stage spot for the winners of the Scottish Premiership is no longer guaranteed, as the Czech Republic has secured the tenth spot in the UEFA rankings, pushing Scotland down a notch.

The current season’s Premiership winner will mark the end of an era by being the final recipient of this privilege,

with the Czech team Viktoria Plzen’s recent result in the Europa Conference League impacting Scotland’s chances in the upcoming 2025/26 season.

This development adds extra pressure and motivation for both Celtic and Rangers to clinch the title this season and secure a place in the revamped Champions League next year.

While Scotland’s second-place team may have to go through qualifying rounds to enter the competition, the Premiership champions will directly advance to the play-off stage through the ‘champions path’.

However, Rangers, with their impressive European record and high coefficient ranking of 25th in Europe due to successful runs in the Europa League, may still have a shot at an automatic group stage spot if certain conditions align, notably if the Champions League winner qualifies through their league position.

In case the domestic champion with the highest five-year coefficient doesn’t secure a spot through their league, Rangers could step in to claim it, benefiting from their strong European performances.

Moreover, if Rangers don’t clinch the title this season and manage to bypass qualifying rounds, they could leverage their coefficient ranking in the following season.

Despite facing defeats in previous Champions League campaigns, such as the loss to PSV Eindhoven and elimination by Benfica, Rangers remain hopeful that their consistent European performances will eventually pay off with a coveted spot in the Champions League group stages.