How FA Cup Results Could Influence European Qualification
The FA Cup semi-finals are unfolding at Wembley Stadium this weekend, and the outcome of this prestigious competition could significantly influence which Premier League clubs qualify for European football next season.
Before delving into how this might happen, it is essential to outline precisely how English clubs secure European competition places.
UEFA Champions League Qualification
In the Premier League, the top five teams will qualify for the next season’s UEFA Champions League. Owing to the strong performances of Premier League clubs across UEFA competitions this season, England has secured a top-two position in UEFA’s association club coefficient rankings. This achievement grants an additional “European Performance Spot” (EPS).
Consequently, there is potential for up to SIX Premier League clubs to compete in the Champions League next season – comprising the top five league finishers and the UEFA Europa League winners, provided they finish outside the top five.
UEFA Europa League Pathways
English football is awarded two spots in the UEFA Europa League. The first is handed to the fifth-placed team in the Premier League. However, should England’s additional Champions League berth be activated, the sixth-placed side will take this place.
The second Europa League spot is reserved for the winners of the FA Cup – an important detail that will be expanded upon shortly.
UEFA Europa Conference League Access
Victory in the EFL Cup grants access to the UEFA Europa Conference League. Newcastle United claimed this honour by defeating Liverpool at Wembley Stadium, ending a 56-year wait for silverware and securing a place in European football for next season.
Other Routes to European Competition
Besides their domestic league performances, clubs can also earn European places based on their results in continental tournaments.
Champions League and Europa League winners automatically qualify for the following season’s Champions League. Meanwhile, the winners of the Conference League secure a berth in the subsequent Europa League campaign.
This is where the results of the FA Cup gain added significance.
Should the FA Cup winners qualify for the Champions League or Europa League through their Premier League standing – or, hypothetically, by winning the Champions League (which is impossible this season for an FA Cup contender) – their earned Europa League place via the FA Cup would be transferred to the next-highest ranked Premier League club not already qualified for Europe.
Similarly, if the EFL Cup winners secure Champions League or Europa League football through their league position or by lifting other European trophies, their Conference League spot will be awarded to the next-best-placed Premier League side yet to qualify for European competition.
Newcastle United are hoping to capitalise on this scenario. They aim to finish high enough in the Premier League to exchange their EFL Cup-earned Conference League spot for a berth in either the Champions League or Europa League.
Possibility of 10 English Clubs in European Competitions
All these permutations create the intriguing possibility that as many as TEN English clubs could feature in European tournaments next season. Here is one scenario outlining how this could materialise:
- Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, and Manchester City finish in the Premier League’s top five, qualifying for the Champions League.
- Aston Villa or Brighton secure sixth place and a Europa League spot.
- Bournemouth finish seventh and inherit the Conference League place from EFL Cup winners Newcastle.
- Chelsea, by winning this season’s Conference League, qualify for the Europa League despite finishing eighth.
- Crystal Palace win this season’s FA Cup and, finishing outside the top five, take a Europa League place.
- Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur finish 11th but qualify for the Champions League by winning this season’s Europa League.
Such an extraordinary sequence would result in SIX English clubs participating in next season’s Champions League, THREE in the Europa League, and ONE in the Conference League.
How FA Cup Results Affect the Race
The teams still competing in the FA Cup can significantly influence the number of English clubs in European competitions next season.
Nottingham Forest and Manchester City are battling for Champions League qualification via their Premier League positions. If either club achieves a top-five finish and also wins the FA Cup, the Europa League spot associated with the FA Cup victory would pass to the next-highest Premier League side yet to secure European football.
Alternatively, if Crystal Palace lift the FA Cup and remain outside the Premier League’s top five, they would directly claim the Europa League place awarded to the FA Cup winners.
Key Takeaways
- England’s strong UEFA coefficient ensures at least five Premier League clubs will feature in next season’s Champions League.
- FA Cup winners traditionally secure a Europa League spot, but if they qualify for Europe through other achievements, the Europa League berth is passed down.
- The EFL Cup winners’ Conference League place can also cascade down if they qualify for Europe through other avenues.
- Up to 10 English clubs could play European football next season under the right set of results.
With such complex dynamics at play, this weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals carry extra significance. Clubs, fans, and neutrals alike will be watching closely, knowing that the results at Wembley could shape the European landscape for the 2025/26 season.