Premier League Could See SEVEN Teams in the Champions League Next Season Following UEFA Rule Change
The Premier League might witness an unprecedented situation next season, with as many as seven teams potentially qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. This scenario hinges on Manchester City or Aston Villa faltering domestically yet clinching the European title and either Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United achieving European glory.
Liverpool have already secured their spot in the quarter-finals of this season’s competition. Arsenal and Aston Villa also have the chance to advance by winning their final league stage matches on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Manchester City need a victory against Bruges at the Etihad Stadium to progress to the intermediate knock-out stage. Despite their shocking defeat in Paris last week, Pep Guardiola’s team still control their destiny.
City’s struggles, both in domestic and European competitions, have inadvertently opened the door for the Premier League teams to potentially claim seven places in Europe’s elite tournament next season.
England’s Advantage in the UEFA Coefficient Rankings
The Premier League’s strong standing in the UEFA coefficient rankings guarantees England four automatic Champions League spots. Currently, England leads the five-year coefficient table, which reflects the success of its clubs in European competitions. This season’s results suggest that England is on course to further cement its dominance.
With all seven English clubs across the three European tournaments poised to reach the knock-out stages—and potentially six advancing directly to the round of 16—the Premier League is set to finish in the top two of the coefficient rankings this season. Achieving this milestone would grant England an additional Champions League slot for next season.
By Thursday, after Tottenham and Manchester United’s Europa League campaigns conclude, England could be up to four full coefficient points ahead of Spain, which currently sits in third place. This advantage is calculated based on victories, draws and qualification bonuses, divided by the number of teams a country enters at the start of the season.
The Pathway to Seven Teams in the Champions League
If Manchester City or Aston Villa win the Champions League in Munich on 31 May but fail to finish within the Premier League’s top five, they would still qualify to defend their title. This would not impact the qualification of the teams finishing above them in the domestic league.
Simultaneously, if Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United were to triumph in the Europa League, they would also secure a Champions League spot. In this scenario, England could field seven teams in Europe’s premier competition, with an additional two slots in the Europa League.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have ensured their place in the Europa Conference League after topping their group with six wins from six matches. The Blues still harbour hopes of breaking into the Premier League’s top five, which would secure them a Champions League berth.
UEFA’s Previous Restrictions Lifted
Under the old UEFA regulations, a maximum of five clubs from a single association could participate in the Champions League. This cap led to instances where finishing fourth in the Premier League would only secure a Europa League place if an English team outside the top four won both the Champions League and Europa League.
The revised rules eliminate this limitation, enabling more English clubs to compete in the Champions League under specific circumstances. Should both the Champions League and Europa League titles be claimed by English teams finishing outside the domestic qualification spots, additional slots would open up without penalising fourth place in the Premier League.
The Unlikely Prospect of 11 English Teams in Europe
In an extreme scenario, England could see up to 11 teams competing in European competitions next season. This would involve the usual seven qualifying through domestic positions, along with title holders from the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League, provided they finish outside league qualification spots. Such an outcome would be unprecedented and underline the Premier League’s growing influence in European football.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on the performances of English clubs in their respective European campaigns. The potential for seven Premier League teams in the Champions League not only highlights the league’s quality but also underscores the impact of UEFA’s updated regulations.