PAOK and Olympiakos have thrown themselves into the Europa League’s league stage battle, with the chance for Greece to beat Switzerland and climb to 14th at their feet.
Greek teams start in new European competitions, which now cease to have a group format, but have a league stage format.
PAOK and Olympiakos begin their bid for top spot in the Championship at the Europa League battle against Galatasaray with Ali Sami Yen and Leon at the Groupama Stadium.
Teams are now playing for their own rating (already having at least 3,000 points), although they are playing for Greece’s rating in the UEFA rankings, with a chance to move it ahead of them, passing Switzerland.
If both PAOK and Olympiacos win, Greece will reach 13th place and come within breathing distance of weak Israel (continuing with only one team in Europe).
How Greece can beat Switzerland from this week and what their followers will do
The current week has been established by UEFA as a Europa League exclusive, meaning that there will only be games for the second-tier European club competition, as was done in the Champions League last week.
Switzerland saw the Young Boys lose to Aston Villa in their opening match of the Champions League, while they have no team in the Europa League (they have St. Gallen and Lugano in the conference). So this week will also be 29,975 points.
Greece have 29,500 points and have a chance to overtake it with a win or two draws. A win in the main stage of the tournament still gives 2,000 points and 1,000 draw (the number of teams each country fields in Europe), which was in the previous format. So a win for Greek teams will give 500 points and a draw will give 250 points.
Close to 16th Denmark and 17th Scotland, Greece can’t just look ahead in the UEFA rankings.
Denmark have Midland in the Europa League, who face Hoffenheim on Wednesday. Scotland also has a team called Rangers, who face Malmö in Sweden. The difference here is that as Scotland have drawn five teams into Europe, each win for the Scottish team is worth 400 points and 200 points each for Denmark, while the same applies to Greece.
UEFA 10th to 20th place
- 10. Turkey 36,100 – 2,500 (4/5)
- 11. Norway 31,500 – 3,625 (2/4)
- 12. Austria 31,000 – 4,200 (4/5)
- 13. Israel 30,625 – 1,875 (1/4)
- 14. Switzerland 29,975 – 3,400 (3/5)
- 15. Greece 29,500 – 2,875 (3/4)
- 16. Denmark 29,325 – 3,000 (2/4)
- 17. Scotland 28,900 – 2,600 (3/5)
- 18. Poland 26,625 – 3,375 (2/4)
- 19. Croatia 25,025 – 3,875 (1/4)
- 20. Serbia 23,675 – 1,900 (2/5)
*After total points, points earned by countries this year follow the hyphen.
**In parentheses are the teams drawn by countries in Europe and the teams that will continue.
European tickets for the 2026-2027 season
10th level
- Champion: Straight to the league stage of the Champions League
- Trophy winner: Playoffs Europa League
- Second: Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round (Non Champions League)
- Third: 2nd Europa League Qualifier
- Fourth: 2nd Conference League Qualifier
11-12 level
- Champion: Champions League Playoffs
- Cup winner: Playoffs Europa League
- Second: Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round (Non Champions League)
- Third: 2nd Europa League Qualifier
- Fourth: 2nd Conference League Qualifier
13-14th stage
- Champion: Champions League Playoffs
- Cup winner: 3rd Europa League Qualifier
- Second: Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round (Non Champions League)
- Third: 2nd Conference League Qualifier
- Fourth: 2nd Conference League Qualifier
15th level
- Champion: Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round (Champions Path)
- Cup winner: 3rd Europa League Qualifier
- Second: Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round (Non Champions League)
- Third: 2nd Conference League Qualifier
- Fourth: 2nd Conference League Qualifier
16th – 22nd level
- Champion: Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round (Champions Path)
- Cup winner: 1st Europa League Qualifier
- Second: 2nd Conference League Qualifier
- Third: 2nd Conference League Qualifier
- Fourth:-