S.C.U. Torreense secured a historic place in the UEFA Europa League league phase after winning the Portuguese Cup, marking the club’s first-ever qualification for European competitions. The remarkable achievement by the Liga 2 side, who are still battling for promotion to the top flight, has also reshaped Portugal’s European qualification spots for next season.
With FC Porto and Sporting CP already guaranteed places in the UEFA Champions League league phase, Torreense inherited the Europa League spot reserved for the Portuguese Cup winners. Sporting also benefited from results in England, as Aston Villa F.C. secured a top-four finish in the Premier League, allowing the Lisbon club to avoid the Champions League qualifying rounds.
The changes mean that SL Benfica must now enter the Europa League in the second qualifying round on 23 July, only four days after the Club World Cup final. SC Braga will also begin early, entering the UEFA Conference League qualifiers instead of the Europa League. Meanwhile, FC Famalicão lose out entirely and will not participate in UEFA competitions next season.
Benfica and Braga both need to progress through three qualifying rounds to reach the league phases of their respective tournaments. Benfica would still have a second chance if eliminated, as they could drop into the Conference League qualifying path. In contrast, FC Porto, Sporting, and Torreense can wait until September to begin their European campaigns directly in the league stages.
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