The 2024-25 Premier League’s chase for European qualification is thick and heavy, with as many as a dozen teams harboring hope of making it to the next season’s UEFA Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League.
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And that’s strictly accounting for the teams hoping to earn a place through the 38-game PL gauntlet.
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Teams can also reach European tournaments through the League Cup and FA Cup as well as the 2024-25 UCL, UEL, and Conference League competitions.
How can Premier League teams qualify for the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League?
For most of the season, we’ve known that it’s a possibility that the traditional “top-four” could be a “top-five” this 2024-25 Premier League season when it comes to qualifying for the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.
Now, it is confirmed: A fifth automatic spot will be awarded to the Premier League thanks to English clubs’ performances in continental tournaments this season.
The winners of the 2024-25 Champions League and Europa League also receive automatic spots in Europe if they do not qualify through the league route.
So...
How many can Premier League team could play in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League?
Yes, you correctly read the above section correctly, did the math, and do not need your eyes checked — as many as seven Premier League teams could qualify for next season’s UCL.
Let’s say the top five does not include Aston Villa, and Unai Emery’s men win the Champions League. That would be a sixth spot.
If Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United were to win the Europa League from their bottom-half perches in the Premier League, they’d join Villa and the table’s top five in next season’s Champions League.
Here are fixture lists and predictions for the teams in this particular hunt.
How can Premier League teams qualify for the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League?
Two places from the Premier League table will reach the Europa League, while the winner of the 2024-25 FA Cup is guaranteed a place in the Europa League if it fails to qualify another way. European contenders Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, Fulham, and Aston Villa are still in the FA Cup at the quarterfinal round (weekend of March 29). The Conference League winner also qualifies for the Europa League if it does not qualify through the Champions League through another route.
How can Premier League teams qualify for the 2025-26 UEFA Conference League?
One team from the Premier League table will reach the Conference League, while Newcastle, winners of the 2024-25 League Cup, are guaranteed a place in the Conference League if they fail to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League through the Premier League table.
Which Premier League teams could qualify for Europe next season?
UEFA Champions League
Aston Villa and Arsenal are still alive in this season’s UEFA Champions League, and the tournament winner automatically qualifies for next year’s competition. Manchester City went out to Real Madrid in the round of 16 and Liverpool were bested in the quarterfinals through a penalty shootout versus PSG at Anfield.
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are still competing in this season’s UEFA Europa League, and the winner of that cup automatically qualifies for the 2025-26 Champions League.
A host of teams can still qualify for the top five, so feel free to look to the Premier League table and make your best projection.
Europa League
Chelsea is well-positioned to qualify through the Premier League table should they not reach the UCL, but they’d also earn a place by winning the Conference League. They are heavy favorites to do so.
Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, Fulham, and Aston Villa can qualify by winning the FA Cup, though all four would still hope to qualify for either the UEFA Champions League or Europa League through the league table. Check out the status of the FA Cup at the semifinal stag , here.
Conference League
One more spot on the table can come via the Conference League.
Newcastle are guaranteed a place in the Conference League through their League Cup triumph, but are also well-positioned to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League through the Premier League.
What is the lowest Premier League table position that could qualify for the Conference League?
If Villa or Arsenal win the Champions League while finishing outside the top five while Spurs or Man United win the Europa League, that would put teams eight and nine in the Europa League.
In that instance, the 10th-place team in England would reach the Conference League.
