Madrid: The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) announced on Thursday that Spain has secured an additional fifth qualification spot for next season's UEFA Champions League.

According to Qatar News Agency, Spain earned the extra berth after Spanish club Rayo Vallecano defeated France's Strasbourg in the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals on Thursday, giving Spanish clubs the advantage over their German counterparts in UEFA's seasonal association rankings race for additional Champions League places.

Under the revised Champions League format, which expanded the competition to 36 teams starting from the 2024 season, UEFA awards two extra places to the countries whose clubs achieve the best overall performances across Europe's three major club competitions during the previous campaign.

England, which currently tops the UEFA association rankings, had already secured the first additional Champions League spot for next season, while Spain and Germany were competing for the second berth.

Real Betis currently sit fifth in La Liga with four rounds remaining, holding a six-point advantage over sixth-placed Celta Vigo, and are now the favourites to benefit from the extra qualification place and reach the Champions League.

Betis have previously appeared in the Champions League only once, 20 years ago, when they were eliminated in the group stage after finishing behind Liverpool and Chelsea.

Last season, Borussia Dortmund of Germany and Italy's Bologna earned the additional qualification spots for the 2024-25 Champions League campaign, while this season's extra berths went to Newcastle United of England and Spain's Villarreal.