The Champions League is set to be expanded next season, meaning more teams and more games. Indeed, there will be four additional clubs in the group stage, as the number of participants rises from 32 to 36.
One of the additional places will go to the team that finishes third in the domestic league sitting fifth in UEFA's league coefficient rankings (France's Ligue 1 in this instance), which are based on results over five seasons up until the end of the 2022-23 campaign, while another will be taken by a domestic champion, with the number teams qualifying via the 'champions path' set to increase from four to five.
However, the new 'European Performance Spots' will be awarded to the two leagues with the best results from the previous season's UEFA club competitions.
So, as the knockout rounds continue in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, which nations are currently on course to claim the additional places? GOAL reveals all below...
10. Eredivisie (Netherlands): 9.800 points average (2/5 teams remaining)
PSV are still flying the flag for Netherlands in the Champions League, and their tie with Borussia Dortmund is very much alive ahead of the second leg, with the two sides having drawn 1-1 in Eindhoven. It's been a disappointing season otherwise for the Dutch, though, who have no chance of claiming an extra UCL spot.
Feyenoord put themselves in a strong position to get out of their group but ended up finishing third and were then immediately dumped out of the Europa League by Roma. In the Conference League, AZ failed to get out of the group, while Twente didn't even make it that far, crushed by Fenerbahce in the play-off round.
Ajax are still alive, though. They dropped down to the Conference League after a dismal Europa League group stage and saw off Bodo/Glimt in the knockout round play-offs. However, it's difficult to see them getting past Aston Villa in the last 16 given the two teams' recent runs of form.
9. Primeira Liga (Portugal): 9.833 (3/6)
There will be no extra UCL spot for Portugal, but this season could yet prove integral to its hopes of overtaking Netherlands in the country coefficient rankings.
Losing both Arouca and Vitoria de Guimaraes in the qualifying rounds of the Conference League was a major blow - as was Braga being upset by Qarabag in the Europa League knockout round play-offs.
However, the Primeira Liga's 'Big Three' are all still in play. A shock first-leg win over Arsenal means Porto might even make the quarter-finals of the Champions League, while both Benfica and Sporting CP are in the last 16 of the Europa League, with the former facing Rangers and the latter taking on Atalanta.
8. Super Lig (Turkey): 11.000 (1/4)
A disastrous continental campaign for Turkey, with three of their four representatives already eliminated.
Galatasaray were beaten to second spot in their Champions League group by Copenhagen before then being hammered by Sparta Prague in the second leg of their Europa League knockout round play-off. Adana, meanwhile, were knocked out in the Conference League play-off round on penalties by Genk, while a desperately disappointing Besiktas picked up just four points during the group stage.
Fenerbahce are flying, though, through to the last 16 with an unbeaten record and will be confident of getting the better of Union SG. However, even if they go on to win the Conference League, it won't be enough to get Turkey anywhere near a European Performance Spot.
7. Belgian Pro League (Belgium): 12.400 (2/5)
Belgian hopes of boosting their country coefficient rest solely on the Conference League. Genk were eliminated in the qualifying rounds of both the Champions League and the Europa League, while Antwerp finished bottom of their UCL Group.
However, while Gent fell in the knockout play-off round of the Conference League, losing 2-1 on aggregate to Maccabi Tel Aviv, Union Saint-Gilloise, who had finished third in their Europa League group, stunned Eintracht Frankfurt to join compatriots Club Brugge in the last 16.
Brugge should see off Molde but USG have it all to do against in-form Fenerbahce.
6. Czech First League (Czech Republic): 12.750 (3/4)
It didn't look like the Czechs were going to have such a sensational season when Bohemians were thrashed by Bodo/Glimt in the second qualifying round of the Conference League, and Sparta Prague failed to make the group stages of the Champions League.
However, Sparta subsequently pipped Real Betis to second place in their Europa League group and then shocked Galatasaray to set up a mouth-watering last-16 tie with Liverpool. Slavia Prague also drew a heavyweight (AC Milan) after topping a group containing Roma to progress as one of the seeded sides.
In the Conference League, meanwhile, Viktoria Plzen won all six of the group games, meaning they'll be quietly confident of beating Servette to progress to the quarter-finals.
The Czech First League won't be getting an extra Champions League spot, but this campaign is doing wonders for their overall country coefficient.
5. La Liga (Spain): 13.187 (5/8)
La Liga has four teams in the last 16 of the Champions League, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad all having won their respective groups. Villarreal are also in the last 16 of the Europa League.
However, Spain is already out of the running for one of the European Performance Sports after three early eliminations. Sevilla finished bottom of their UCL group without winning a single game, Betis were upset by Dinamo Zagreb in the knockout play-off round of the Conference League, while Osasuna fell in the qualifiers all the way back in August.
4. Ligue 1 (France): 13.250 (3/6)
A mixed bag for France this season, perhaps best summed up by Paris Saint-Germain, who were forced to settle for second spot in their Champions League group but now have one foot in the quarter-finals after a first-leg win over Real Sociedad.
Marseille, meanwhile, were beaten on penalties by Panathinaikos in the UCL third qualifying round, but have made hay in the Europa League, finishing second in their group before beating Shakhtar Donetsk in the knockout round play-offs to tee up a last-16 clash with Villarreal.
Lille are also going well in the Conference League. Having topped their group, they will now battle it out with Sturm Graz for a place in the quarter-finals.
However, Lens, Rennes and Toulouse all got eliminated in the Europa League knockout round play-offs. Still, Ligue 1 will have four entrants in next season's Champions League as France is fifth in the access list.
3. Premier League (England): 13.875 (6/8)
Newcastle United and Manchester United both finishing bottom of their Champions League groups - meaning no Europa League consolation for either - represented a serious setback for England's hopes of a top-two finish. However, an additional UCL spot is very much still there for the taking.
Arsenal's tie with Porto may be in the balance, but Manchester City are the favourites to win the Champions League, Liverpool are the favourites to win the Europa League and Aston Villa are favourites to win the Conference League.
When one considers that last season's Conference League winners West Ham, as well as Brighton, are also still in the mix in the Europa League, England's remaining representatives should, in theory at least, rack up enough wins/points to overhaul their Bundesliga counterparts.
2. Bundesliga (Germany): 14.500 (5/7)
Germany obviously has a real shot at claiming an extra Champions League position, but their grip on second spot is worryingly weak.
Bayer Leverkusen and Freiburg are both in the Europa League last 16, and Xabi Alonso's unbeaten Bundesliga leaders are second-favourites to win the tournament. However, Germany really could have done without Eintracht Frankfurt falling to USG in the Conference knockout round play-offs because their Champions League prospects are looking a little grim.
Borussia Dortmund only have to beat PSV at home to progress to the quarters, but RB Leipzig will be eliminated if they don't win away to Real Madrid, while Bayern Munich are facing a shock last-16 exit at the hands of Lazio. It didn't help either that Union Berlin failed to win a single game in the group stage.
1. Serie A (Italy): 15.571 (7/7)
Another sensational season in Europe for Serie A, which, despite its many problems, has managed to build on the success of the 2022-23 campaign. Not one Italian club has been eliminated from European competition so far this season and, truth be told, the fact that AC Milan dropped down to the Europa League was probably a blessing in disguise.
The Rossoneri will really fancy their chances against Slavia Prague in the last 16, while Atalanta will be confident going into their tie with Sporting CP, given they took four points off the Portuguese in the group stage. Brighton is about as tough a draw as Roma could have got, but the Giallorossi have been revived by new coach Daniele De Rossi.
In the Conference League, meanwhile, you wouldn't bet against Fiorentina reaching the final again, given the Viola have drawn Maccabi Haifa in the last 16.
As for the Champions League, struggling Lazio have given themselves a chance of upsetting Bayern, while Napoli are more than capable of beating Barca in their own backyard if they can get back to anything close to their best under their third coach of the season.
Inter are once again Italy's big hopes, though, with last year's Champions League runners-up having beaten Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 tie and look unbeatable domestically right now.
