Norway is now the big brother in the Nordic region
On Thursday, it will be decided who will make it to the semi-finals of the Conference League. Bodø / Glimt leads 2-1 after the first quarter-final settlement against Roma.
The basket roof in the player tunnel after the match has marked the news picture after the triumph, but for Norwegian football, the 2-1 goal for Hugo Vetlesen was worth gold.
The score made Norway climb from 20th place to 17th place in UEFA’s national ranking. Norway passed Turkey, Croatia and Denmark and has reached the best ranked country in the Nordic region for the first time since 2008. Neither Turkey, Croatia nor Denmark can pass Norway.
17th place gives access to the 2nd qualifying round in the Champions League 2023/24 for the team that wins the Elite Series this year.
Last year, Bodø / Glimt entered the 1st qualifying round, where they lost to Legia Warsaw.
Based on history from previous seasons, it is likely that RBK, Molde or Bodø / Glimt will also be seeded in the 2nd qualifying round if they win the series this year.
There is one more for CL seats
The ranking takes into account results for Norwegian clubs in Europe over the last five seasons.
Only when you are among the 15 best nations will you notice a significant change from the current situation. Then Norway will get two teams into the 2nd qualifying round in the Champions League.
Glimt’s enormous success combined with Molde’s strong 2020/21 season means that Norway is right now ready to be in the Champions League in the autumn of 2024.
If you look at the five-year season included this year, Norway is number 17. If you look at the four-year season included this year, Norway is currently 13th.
This is the ranking for the autumn of 2023 (UEFA coefficient):
Switzerland (29,675)
Greece (28,200)
16. Czech Republic (27,800)
17. Norge (27,250) *
18. Denmark (27,175)
19. Croatia (27,150)
20. Turkey (27,100)
This is the ranking for the autumn of 2024 (UEFA coefficient):
12. Ukraine (23,800)
13. Norway (23,250) *
14. Switzerland (23,175)
Greece (23,100)
16. Czech Republic (22,300)
Croatia (22,025)
18. Denmark (21,925)
19. Russia (21,882)
* For each Bodø / Glimt victory, Norway’s coefficient increases by 0.500
New format
In 2024, Uefa will expand the Champions League from 32 to 36 teams. A series of ten matches will be played (five home matches, five away matches). The teams are drawn into a common table where the eight best teams go straight to the quarterfinals. The teams from 9-24 meet in eight replay matches. In other words, it will be very lucrative to be among the 36 layers that come through the eye of the needle. The four extra Champions League places will mainly go to the big clubs from the big leagues. Among other things, for extra places for the highest-ranked clubs that do not qualify for the Champions League, with the proviso that you end up in the place after direct Champions League place.