Changes to Champions League rules agreed today could see Europe's top nations having up to five teams in UEFA's top club competition.

From 2015, the Europa League winners as well as the European champions will qualify automatically for the following season's Champions League, UEFA sources have confirmed to Press Association Sport.

But if the Europa League is won by an English club, they will no longer take the qualification place of a team finishing fourth in the Barclays Premier League - as happened controversially with Tottenham last season when Chelsea won the Champions League but finished sixth.

The principle was agreed by UEFA's executive committee today and will be formally announced at the European governing body's Congress in London tomorrow.

The move is designed to make the Europa League more attractive and to persuade clubs to take the competition more seriously.

The change to allow a maximum of five clubs also answers concerns from the European Clubs' Association who felt that the chances of the Europa League winners taking a place away from clubs qualifying via the domestic league was unacceptably high.

In the unlikely event of two clubs from the same country winning the Champions League and Europa League and both finishing outside of the domestic qualifying places, then those teams would still qualify for the Champions League but the side finishing fourth would miss out.

The Daily Echo explains today's changes to UEFA's Champions League qualification rules

Q: What are the Champions League rule changes?

A: From 2015/16, the Europa League winners and the Champions League winners will both qualify for the following season's Champions League.

Q: Will the maximum number of clubs from the top nations such as England in the Champions League remain at four clubs?

A: No, there will be a maximum of five clubs but only under special circumstances.

Q: When can a country have five clubs in the Champions League?

A: Only when a club wins the Champions League or Europa League but finishes outside the top four in the domestic league. That happened last season when Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League but took the Champions League spot from Tottenham who finished fourth, because they were European champions.

Q: Will a country be able to have six clubs if both Champions League and Europa League winners come from the same nation and both finish outside of the top four?

A: No - five is the maximum. In that unlikely scenario, the European trophy winners would qualify plus the top three.

Q: If the Champions League or Europa League winners finish inside the top four of their domestic league, will that allow the runners-up to qualify?

A: No, only the winners.

Q: Will the Europa League winners go straight into the group phase of the Champions League?

A: That has still to be confirmed but it appears that will usually be the case.

Q: If the Champions League or Europa League winners also qualify via their domestic league, will that allow the fifth-placed club in the league to take the 'spare' qualification place?

A: No, in that scenario there would still only be four clubs qualifying.