UEFA Ranking: Portugal recovers ground with a near-perfect week.

With three wins and a draw, this was a near-perfect European week for Portugal, who recovered ground in the UEFA annual ranking and climbed from sixth to fourth place – still outside the top two, which are worth an extra spot in the 2026/27 Champions League.

It was also a positive week in the five-year ranking. Portugal, which remains in seventh place in this count, managed to do better than the Netherlands (sixth) and Belgium (eighth). Important in these calculations were the victories of Benfica away to the Dutch side Ajax (2-0) and Sporting at home to the Belgian side Club Brugge (3-0).

Portugal earned 1,400 points. Benfica, Sporting, and FC Porto, who won their respective matches, each accumulated 0.400 points, while Sp. Braga, who drew away to Rangers (1-1), secured 0.200 points for the country. Remember that each win is worth two points and each draw is worth one point, which are then divided among the five Portuguese clubs in UEFA competitions in 2025/26.

The Netherlands, in turn, secured 0.667 points, thanks to victories by PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar, while Ajax, Feyenoord, Utrecht, and Go Ahead Eagles lost. Belgium, meanwhile, amassed 0.800 points, thanks to victories by Union St. Gilloise and Genk – Club Brugge lost at Alvalade, and Anderlecht and Charleroi are no longer in European competitions.