UEFA agrees to extra Champions League spots for top leagues

Europe's top four leagues will have four guaranteed places in the Champions League group stage from the 2018-19 season, UEFA has confirmed.

The top four leagues in the UEFA coefficient ranking -- currently La Liga, the Bundesliga, Premier League and Serie A -- will see four teams
enter the group stage without having to go through a qualification round.

Currently, La Liga, the Bundesliga and the Premier League are guaranteed three group spots, with a fourth possible through the qualifying round, while Serie A has two guaranteed spots and a third possible via qualification.

The Premier League was in danger of losing one its places to Serie A at the end of this season, particularly after Sassuolo qualified for this season's Europa League group stage while West Ham were eliminated, but both leagues will now get four Champions League spots.

OFFICIAL: The top four teams from the four highest-ranked leagues will enter the #UCL group stage from 2018. pic.twitter.com/TUva8MIGiE
- Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August
26, 2016