How Celtic can be seeded in Champions League playoffs as 3 title winners hold the key
As the Hoops are sandwiched between various clubs in Uefa's coefficient table, their seeding status is up in the air
Celtic face a two-legged playoff hurdle in their quest to qualify for next season's Champions League.
Some tricky ties await the Hoops in August if they go into the round as one of five unseeded teams.
But with various domestic champions still to be determined, there is a chance that Celts could be handed a so-called easier route.
A total of ten teams will compete in the Champions Path - with Celtic, Bodo/Glimt and Basel already confirmed as a result of winning their respective leagues.
However, as Celtic (39.000) are currently sandwiched between various clubs in Uefa's coefficient table, they are not guaranteed a seeded space.
At the moment, Dinamo Zagreb (56.000), FC Copenhagen (44.875) and Ferencváros (39.000) are all on course to be crowned title-winners. Red Star Belgrade (44.000) have already wrapped up the league in Serbia.
All four clubs - plus Bodo/Glimt (49.000) - are ahead of Celtic in the club rankings, meaning they would occupy the seeded section, but enter the qualifying phase at different stages.
Crucially, the Glasgow giants can still bag a seeded spot IF there's a title upset in Croatia, Denmark or Hungary.
Zagreb currently trails league leaders HNK Rijeka (9.000) by a single point with two games to go. FC Copenhagen boast a precious one-point advantage heading into their penultimate game, while Ferencváros are three clear with two fixtures remaining.
Celtic would only require one of these projected teams to finish runners-up to guarantee a seeded spot prior to the start of qualifying.
It's all ifs, buts and maybes. But one certainty is the date of the winner-takes-all playoff to reach the £30million promised land.
Uefa have confirmed that the draw will take place on August 4 with the two-legged tie played on 19/20 & 26/27 August 2025.
Should they advance past this stage, the league phase draw would take place on August 28.
The Hoops do have the insurance policy of Europa League group stage football if they are to fall at the final obstacle.
Projected Champions League playoff teams - Champions Path
SEEDED
Dinamo Zagreb (56.000)
Bodo/Glimt (49.000)
FC Copenhagen (44.875)
Red Star Belgrade (44.000)
Ferencváros (39.000)
UNSEEDED
Celtic (39.000)
Basel (33.000)
Sturm Graz (23.000)
FCSB (22.500)
Lech Poznan (16.000)
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