How many English teams can qualify for Europe next season? Can six teams reach the UEFA Champions League?
Updated 18/05/2025 at 18:57 GMT+1
The race for a place in Europe is as competitive as it has ever been in the Premier League this season, and the full picture is not yet clear. English sides are still battling it out in two of the three UEFA competitions finals, with an all-English Europa League final next week. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at how many European places could be up for grabs this season.
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There will be Premier League representation in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League finals this season, with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea all targeting continental silverware.
United and Tottenham will meet in the Europa League final next Wednesday, after overcoming Athletic Club and Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals respectively.
Chelsea also reached the Conference League final after a 5-1 aggregate victory over Djurgarden in the semi-finals.
They face La Liga side Real Betis in the final on May 28, as Enzo Maresca looks to win a trophy in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
Given what has unfolded already, there will be even more English clubs battling it out in continental competitions next term.
But how many? And will there really be as many as six English sides in the Champions League?
How many English teams could qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season?
Traditionally, the sides that finish between first and fourth in the Premier League have qualified for the Champions League.
However, the English top-flight has been awarded a fifth place in the competition based on the impressive performances in Europe this season.
The Premier League was awarded the extra place through UEFA's coefficient rankings.
The coefficient rankings are determined by points gained by European clubs across the current season's UEFA competitions (Champions League, Europa League and Conference League)
Teams receive coefficient points for winning games and reaching different stages of the competition.
The top two in the rankings at the end of the campaign will receive an extra spot in next season's Champions League, but the Premier League have already secured their spot.
However, there will be even more English clubs involved next term.
The cap of five teams in the tournament per association was removed at the start of this season.
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The winners of the Champions League and Europa League also qualify automatically, if they have not done so already.
An English side is guaranteed to win the Europa League this season, meaning six Premier League clubs will be involved in next season's Champions League.
How many English teams could qualify for Europe next season?
There is a scenario where as many as 10 English sides could qualify for Europe next season.
There will be six teams playing in the Champions League - the top five teams and either Manchester United or Tottenham by virtue of winning the Europa League.
Currently, Newcastle United will play in the UEFA Conference League after winning the Carabao Cup, but could still qualify for the Champions League. In that instance, the seventh-placed team goes into the Conference League.
Crystal Palace sealed their place in the Europa League after winning the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory over Manchester City, meaning there will be at least nine English sides competing in Europe next season.
However, that number could become 10 via a couple of rather convoluted scenarios.
Should Chelsea finish seventh and win the Conference League final against Real Betis, they will then qualify for the Europa League - but they could also finish in the Champions League or Europa League spots.
However, there is a scenario where the eighth-placed team qualifies for the Conference League. It would either require Chelsea to finish sixth and win the Conference League, along with Newcastle finishing seventh. The Magpies would take Chelsea's Europa League spot which would have been earned by their league finish, meaning eighth place team goes into the Conference League.
Eighth place would also seal European football for next season, if Chelsea finish seventh and win the Conference League.
The above scenarios would leave 10 English clubs competing in Europe next term.
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