Friday 26 August 2016 16:49, UK
The Premier League will have four guaranteed places in the Champions League group stage from 2018/19.
UEFA confirmed the change in a revamp of the tournament which will see Europe's top four leagues - currently England's Premier League, Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga and Italy's Serie A - receive automatic qualification for the top-four finishers in their competition.
Under the present system, the top three leagues - Spain, Germany and England at present - have three places each, while their fourth-placed teams must contest a play-off over two legs for a place in the group stage.
The fourth ranked league, currently Italy, has only two guaranteed places plus one in the play-off round.
The change was announced after Europe's top football officials met to discuss the competition's format in Monaco on Thursday.
It is understood representatives from UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA) discussed a variety of options to ward off the threat of a breakaway Super League.
Many clubs have expressed concerns - primarily through the ECA - about the qualifying criteria and format of UEFA club competitions.
UEFA stopped short, though, of guaranteeing places in the Champions League for certain big clubs.
Other changes implemented by UEFA, to take effect in 2018 when the new three-year commercial cycle begins, will result in clubs being judged on their own records, deleting the country share for the individual club coefficient unless that coefficient is lower than 20 per cent of the association's coefficient.
Historical success in the competition will also be acknowledged in coefficient calculation with points awarded for previous European titles, while financial distribution to clubs will be increased significantly for both the Champions League and Europa League.
The Champions League will continue to have a 32-team group stage and a 16-club knockout phase and the Europa League remains at 48 teams, although in a new development the winners will automatically qualify for the Champions League group stage as currently they can potentially take part in a play-off round.
"The evolution of UEFA's club competitions is the result of a wide-ranging consultative process involving all stakeholders and taking into account a wide range of expertise and perspectives," said UEFA general secretary ad interim Theodore Theodoridis.
"The amendments made will continue to ensure qualification based on sporting merit, and the right of all associations and their clubs to compete in Europe's elite club competitions.
"We are happy that European football remains united behind the concepts of solidarity, fair competition, fair distribution and good governance."
ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "I welcome UEFA's decision, it reflects a serious and fair solution for European club football. I am particularly pleased with the fact that the European football community remains united moving forward."
There remains the possibility that champions from European leagues ranked below the top four will have to play an additional qualifying game, and UEFA will announce full details by the end of the year.
In response to UEFA's announcement, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: "There is still a lot to be worked through before we can comment fully on these changes.
"What we can say now is that, after lobbying hard for the retention of the Champions route for UEFA Champions League qualification, the SPFL is therefore pleased that the Champions route has been protected as part of these changes. This alone is good news for each season's Ladbrokes Premiership champion club and indeed for Scottish football as a whole.
"However, we will monitor this issue and these changes very closely and pledge to continue to fight to protect the best interests of Scottish football in the wider European and global context."
