Extra Champions League spot for England

England will have an extra place in next season's Champions League, UEFA said today.

England will have an extra place in next season's Champions League, UEFA said today.

As expected England will join Spain and Italy in having four teams in the competition.

The champions and runners-up of all three countries will go into the competition proper with the teams which finish third and fourth in their leagues joining the competition in the third qualifying round.

Germany, despite Bayern Munich winning the European Cup in May, will have three teams, along with France and the Netherlands.

The top two finishers in those leagues will qualify automatically for the group stage with the third-placed team entering at the third qualifying round stage.

The entry for both the Champions League and UEFA Cup is based on the results from the previous five seasons from 1996-97 to 2000-01.

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