Azerbaijan ranks fourth among European countries in terms of how heavily their national UEFA coefficient depends on the performances of a single football club.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the findings come from a study conducted by football analytics platform Football Meets Data, which examined the contributions of individual clubs to their countries' UEFA coefficients over the past five seasons.
According to the analysis, Qarabag accounted for 62.3% of all UEFA coefficient points earned by Azerbaijani clubs during the period under review. This represents the fourth-highest share among European national associations.
Hungary tops the ranking, with Ferencvaros responsible for 72.7% of the country's coefficient points. Gibraltar follows in second place, largely thanks to Lincoln Red Imps (70.5%), while Slovakia ranks third through Slovan Bratislava (65.4%). Ukraine completes the top five, with Shakhtar Donetsk contributing 61.7%.
Top five European countries by the share of UEFA coefficient points earned by a single club:
1. Hungary – Ferencvaros – 72.7%
2. Gibraltar – Lincoln Red Imps – 70.5%
3. Slovakia – Slovan Bratislava – 65.4%
4. Azerbaijan – Qarabag – 62.3%
5. Ukraine – Shakhtar Donetsk – 61.7%
The study highlights an interesting trend: the highest levels of dependence on a single club are primarily found among countries occupying mid-table positions in the UEFA association rankings.
Four of the five countries on the list – Hungary, Slovakia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine – are ranked between 18th and 27th in Europe.
By contrast, none of the countries in UEFA's top ten rely on a single club for more than 35% of their coefficient points. For example, Arsenal account for just 15.4% of England's total.
Analysts attribute this difference to the greater depth and competitiveness of Europe's leading domestic leagues, where several clubs regularly accumulate points in continental competitions.
In mid-ranked football nations, however, much of the responsibility often falls on one club capable of consistently delivering results on the European stage.
Interestingly, the situation in Azerbaijan has changed during the current season.
Qarabag failed to qualify for the league phase of European competitions, while Sabah continue their campaign in the UEFA Champions League.
Football Meets Data specifically highlighted the Baku-based club as the team that has taken over the leading role in contributing to Azerbaijan's national coefficient during the 2026/27 season.
The findings therefore underline not only Qarabag's exceptional contribution to Azerbaijan's European standing over recent years but also the importance of other domestic clubs achieving consistent results internationally.
With Sabah now playing a more prominent role, Azerbaijan has an opportunity to reduce its reliance on a single team and strengthen its position in the UEFA association rankings.
