European Qualification Picture Clears Ahead of Final Premier League Weekend
As the Premier League approaches its final matchday, the path for another team to secure a place in European competition next season has become more defined.
Liverpool, crowned champions, and second-place Arsenal have already secured their spots in next season’s Champions League. With just one round of fixtures remaining, three additional European places are still available.
Newcastle (3rd), Chelsea (4th), and Aston Villa (5th) currently hold the remaining qualification spots. Newcastle have already locked in a place in the Europa Conference League by virtue of their Carabao Cup victory.
Manchester City, sitting sixth with a game in hand, will face Bournemouth on Tuesday, and remain in the race. Nottingham Forest, in seventh, also have a chance to qualify — but they must defeat Chelsea on Sunday and rely on other results.
The top seven teams are guaranteed a European berth of some kind, but the battle for eighth place remains complex and intriguing.
Adding to the suspense, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are set to compete in the Europa League final, with the winner earning a Champions League slot. This would mean six Premier League clubs enter the Champions League and nine teams participate in Europe overall.
Crystal Palace’s recent FA Cup triumph has already secured their place in the Europa League.
How Eighth Place Could Qualify
If Chelsea go on to defeat Real Betis in the Europa Conference League final in Wroclaw, Poland, it could open the door for the team finishing eighth — currently Brighton — to enter Europe. Chelsea are the only club capable of both winning a European trophy and finishing high enough in the league to impact the qualification distribution.
For this scenario to materialize, Chelsea would need to:
Finish seventh in the league and
Win the Europa Conference League
Two Possible Scenarios for Eighth-Place Qualification:
1. Chelsea Finish 7th and Win the Conference League
Champions League: 1st–5th + Europa League winners (Man Utd or Spurs)
Europa League: 6th + Crystal Palace (FA Cup winners) + Chelsea (Conference League winners, 7th)
Conference League: 8th-place team
2. Chelsea Finish 6th and Win the Conference League, Newcastle Finish 7th
Champions League: 1st–5th + Europa League winners
Europa League: 6th (Chelsea) + Crystal Palace + Newcastle (7th)
Conference League: 8th-place team
In either case, a total of 10 Premier League clubs could qualify for European competition.
Brighton, Bournemouth, and Brentford are all still mathematically in contention for eighth place.