The Premier League is guaranteed to have five teams competing in the UEFA Champions League next season, having clinched one of the newly introduced European Performance Spots.
This opportunity comes as part of UEFA’s recent expansion of the Champions League format to include 36 clubs, a change that began last season.
Under this revamped system, the two leagues with the strongest collective performances across UEFA’s three club competitions earn an additional Champions League berth.
England has dominated the performance rankings this season, with its place virtually assured following a string of disappointing showings from Italian sides in both the knockout playoffs and round of 16.
Only minimal results were needed to lock in the bonus spot—either a single win or two draws from the remaining fixtures. That requirement was met on Tuesday when Arsenal secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Real Madrid.
As a result, the Premier League’s fifth-placed side will now qualify for the Champions League.
Currently, Chelsea hold fourth place on 53 points, just ahead of Newcastle United, also on 53 but with a game in hand. However, the race remains tight, with Manchester City (52 points), Aston Villa (51), Fulham (48), and Brighton & Hove Albion (47) all still in contention.
“There will be at least five Premier League teams vying to win the Champions League next season,” noted Nick Potts via PA Images/Getty.
The number of English clubs in next season’s competition could climb even higher.
Should Aston Villa win the Champions League, having reached the quarterfinals where they face Paris Saint-Germain and finish fifth in the league, six English teams would qualify: the top four, the EPS recipient, and Villa as titleholders. In that scenario, the European Performance Spot (EPS) would be extended to the sixth-placed team.
The maximum theoretical number is seven Premier League representatives, achievable if the top four are joined by EPS beneficiaries, as well as potential Champions League and Europa League winners such as Aston Villa, Manchester United, or Tottenham Hotspur.
In a remarkable twist, England could send as many as 11 teams to European competitions overall next season.
This could happen if Villa, Man United or Spurs and Chelsea, win UEFA’s three club titles while finishing outside the usual qualifying positions.
UEFA rules guarantee that defending champions are automatically granted entry regardless of domestic league standing.
However, if Arsenal or Villa win the Champions League and also finish in the top four, the bonus place won’t transfer to another team.
In that case, only the top five Premier League clubs would progress to the Champions League.
While England has already locked in one of the EPS spots, Spain is currently poised to claim the second. Like the Premier League, LaLiga still has five teams in European contention, though Italy remains in the chase for that last extra berth.
Last season, it was Italy and Germany who reaped the EPS rewards, with fifth-placed Bologna and Borussia Dortmund advancing to the Champions League from their respective leagues.
