Which Premier League teams can qualify for Europe? Champions League, Europa League, Conference League details

With the race for European places in the Premier League going down to the wire, here we explain which teams could qualify for what European competition in the 2025-26 season.

MORE — Latest 2024-25 Premier League table in full

Even though we are just two matchweeks away from the end of the season there are still so many permutations and scenarios, as up to 10 Premier League teams could be in Europe next season. Seriously.

Below we take a look at the race for qualification to the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

What’s the highest number of Premier League clubs that could play in Europe next season?

10 teams qualifying for Europe next season is still possible. The top-five teams in the table will play in the 2024-25 Champions League, and another will qualify for that competition when Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur win the Europa League Final.

With Crystal Palace winning the FA Cup, they are in the Europa League group stage for next season. That makes seven teams.

Another club would reach the Europa League and one will go to the Conference League, which takes the number up to nine. If Chelsea win the Conference League but finish in sixth or seventh place, they will qualify for the Europa League and the Conference League spot will then move down to eighth place. Making 10 teams total. More info on that below.

How does Chelsea’s league position and Conference League final impact Premier League European spot?

Via our partners in the UK at Sky Sports, here is more information on what happens if Chelsea win the Conference League trophy and Newcastle finish inside the top six.

“European title winners get a place in Europe - but if they finish in a Premier League spot which qualifies them for the competition their title win earns them entry into (or the next tier up) there is no additional place passed on. If the European title winners finish in a Premier League spot which does not qualify them for the competition, their title win earns them entry, so there is an additional place. So…

“Chelsea can qualify for the Champions League as a top-five finisher. If they do that and win the Conference League, their Europa League spot for winning the Conference League is given up. If Chelsea win the Conference League and finish sixth, they qualify for the Europa League through their Conference League win and their league position entry to the Europa League is passed on.

“If Chelsea win the Conference League and finish in a Premier League position which would qualify them for the Conference League play-off (passed on from Newcastle), they would qualify for the Europa League through their Conference League win and the Conference League play-off place would be given up.”

Via ESPN, here are more details on how Premier League clubs finishing in eighth can get into Europe:

“For clubs hovering around eighth in the table, the performance of Chelsea is now their only chance of playing in Europe next season. They are the only team who could win a European title and finish in a position to cause this drop down. We need to assume Newcastle United have finished inside the top six. This is the allocation before the EPS (European Performance Spots):

Champions League: 1-4, Man United/Tottenham as UEL winners
Europa League: 5, Crystal Palace as FA Cup winners
Conference League: 6

Chelsea finish seventh and win the Conference League final. Chelsea would play in the Europa League, and the Premier League would have 10 teams in Europe.

Champions League: 1-4, Man United/Tottenham as UEL winners
Europa League: 5, Crystal Palace as FA Cup winners, Chelsea as UCoL winners (7)
Conference League: 6

Add the EPS, and everything moves down one place -- but the Conference League spot for 6th position jumps over Chelsea and is given to eighth.

Champions League: 1-5, Man United/Tottenham as UEL winners
Europa League: 6, Chelsea as UCoL winners (7)
Conference League: 8

Which Premier League clubs can qualify the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League?

Six Premier League teams are headed for the 2025-26 Champions League.

It would take a remarkable breakdown for Arsenal to miss out on the top five, and Newcastle United are now well-positioned ahead of the teams sixth and below.

Manchester City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are all duking it out to qualify for the Champions League too.

Which Premier League clubs can qualify the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League?

One additional space on the Premier League table will afford a berth in the Europa League. It’s currently slated to go to the sixth-place team.

The FA Cup winners and Conference League winners also earn Europa League berths. Chelsea are heavily-favored to win the Conference League as they face Real Betis in the final, while Crystal Palace got a Europa League spot for winning the FA Cup. We have explained above how Chelsea winning the Conference League and their final league position could impact the Europa League spot.

Which Premier League clubs can qualify for the 2025-26 UEFA Conference League?

Newcastle United have earned a Conference League place by beating Liverpool in the League Cup Final. If Newcastle finish inside the top six, which looks very likely, the seventh or eighth-place team on the table will earn the Conference League berth. That of course depends on how Chelsea fare in the Conference League final and their final position in the table.