Premier League European places 2024: Which teams have qualified for UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League? | Sporting News United Kingdom

Premier League clubs have been battling for European places feverishly in recent weeks, and for many of them, it all came down to the final day.

England will have four teams in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League, two in the Europa League, and possibly two in the Conference League.

Last season, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United made up the top four and qualified for the Champions League, although City would have been there regardless of league finish after winning the tournament.

However, things will look a little different for 2024/25, with Man United and Newcastle enduring far less positive seasons and Aston Villa taking their opportunity to gatecrash the top table.

The Sporting News takes a look at who has qualified for the European places, with one potentially to be decided via the FA Cup final.

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Which Premier League teams have qualified for Europe next season?

Here is a breakdown of the Premier League teams playing in Europe in 2024/25.

UEFA Champions League

Teams qualified:

• Arsenal
• Manchester City
• Liverpool
• Aston Villa

As the Champions League changes to a ‘Swiss model’ format in the 2024/25 campaign, the possibility of having five English clubs in the tournament was looking likely at one stage.

With 36 clubs set to compete in next season’s Champions League, an increase from the previous 32, two of the additional four spots will be allocated to the best-performing nations in the 2023/24 season. Over the past six seasons, the Premier League would have earned an extra spot in five instances, typically going to the fifth-placed team. However, this season has seen Premier League teams dumped out of Europe early, resulting in Italy and Germany likely claiming these additional places. With no English side left in the Champions League semifinals, there is also no chance of a Premier League side qualifying for next season as the tournament winners.

Therefore, only the teams who finish in the top four of the Premier League will qualify for next season’s Champions League. Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool have long been guaranteed of the top three spots and City’s win over Tottenham during the final week of the season meant Spurs were not longer able to catch Aston Villa in fourth.

UEFA Europa League

Teams qualified:

*Chelsea will play in Conference League if Man United win FA Cup final

The team that finishes in fifth place in the Premier League is assured of a place in next season’s Europa League group stage. The team that wins the FA Cup can also qualify.

Tottenham finished fifth and claimed  the league qualification spot for the Europa League by avoiding defeat to Sheffield United on the final day. However, Manchester United could still get into the tournament by winning the FA Cup final, which is where things get more complicated.

Erik ten Hag’s side face Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25, and the scenarios for European qualification based on that game as are follows:

• If Man City win, the Europa League spot available to the FA Cup winners will instead go to the sixth-placed team in the league (as City are already in the Champions League). That would mean Chelsea will qualify.
• If Man United win the FA Cup, they will qualify for the Europa League group stages, and Chelsea will not.
• If Man United win the cup, sixth place will become a Conference League spot because United did not finish in the top six.

UEFA Conference League

Teams qualified:

• Liverpool*
• Chelsea**
• Newcastle***

*Will not play in the competition because they are guaranteed a spot in the Champions League

**Chelsea will play in Europa League if Man City win FA Cup final

***Newcastle will only qualify for Conference League if Man City win FA Cup final

England get one qualification spot for the UEFA Europa Conference League (which will be called just the UEFA Conference League from 2024/25). Nominally, that place goes to the winners of the Carabao Cup, which this season was Liverpool.

However, the Reds will not be playing in that competition as they are guaranteed a Champions League spot via their league finish. As a result, this Conference League spot will go to the highest-placed finisher not already qualified for Europe, as was the case with Aston Villa in 2022/23.

That team will be one of Chelsea or Newcastle, who finished fifth and sixth in the league in 2023/24. If Manchester United win the FA Cup final, they will claim a Europa League place, and Chelsea will be in the Conference League. If United lose that final, Chelsea will play in next season’s Europa League, and Newcastle will be in the Conference League.

Premier League European places as things stand

As of May 19, the final day of the Premier League season, these are the English teams occupying the qualifying spots for European competitions in 2024/25.

Champions League: Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa

Europa League: Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea (if Man City win FA Cup final)

Conference League: Chelsea, Newcastle (if Man City win FA Cup final)

English Premier League table 2023/24

Updated on Sunday, May 19, 2024, the final matchday of the 2023/24 season.

*Deducted 10 points for breach of profit and sustainability rules. Punishment was reduced to six points on appeal but were then deducted a further two points for another breach on April 8.

**Deducted four points for breach of profit and sustainability rules on Mar. 18.