The Premier League stands on the verge of a historic feat: the possibility of having six teams compete in the UEFA Champions League for the 2025/26 season.
This unprecedented scenario stems from stellar performances by English clubs in European competitions this season, which have unlocked new qualification opportunities.
Why Five Premier League Teams Are Already Assured
Thanks to their dominance across UEFA tournaments this season, Premier League clubs have ensured the league will secure a top-two position in UEFA’s association club coefficient rankings.
This achievement guarantees an extra “European Performance Spot” for next season’s Champions League.
“This means that as well as the top four-placed teams in the Premier League, the club finishing fifth in 2024/25 will also go straight into the Champions League next season,” the EPL website explained on Thursday.
This arrangement sets the stage for a groundbreaking development: the addition of a sixth club, contingent on results in the ongoing Europa League.
The Route to a Sixth Spot
In addition to league placement, clubs can qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League.
Both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, currently semifinalists in this year’s Europa League, are eyeing this alternative route.
“Because neither Man Utd nor Spurs are mathematically able to finish in the top five of this season’s Premier League,” the EPL noted, “it means should one of them win the Europa League, the Premier League will get a sixth spot in next season’s Champions League.”
The second-leg semi-finals present promising scenarios for both clubs:
- Manchester United vs. Athletic Bilbao: United leads 3-0.
- Tottenham Hotspur vs. Bodo/Glimt: Spurs leads 3-1.
If both clubs advance to the final, “it will be guaranteed that ONE of them will win the Europa League and enter next season’s Champions League as the sixth Premier League entrant,” according to the EPL reported.
A Glimpse at History
The Premier League has never fielded six clubs in a Champions League season. Its best effort came in 2017/18 when Manchester United joined four other English teams—Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Tottenham—by virtue of winning the Europa League the previous season.
Premier League fans may recall a near-miss in 2005/06. Despite Liverpool winning the Champions League the previous season and qualifying as titleholders, Everton failed to progress past the group stage after losing to Villarreal in the qualifiers. This left England with four representatives in the competition’s main draw.
“No European country has ever had more than five clubs in the Champions League at one time,” the EPL emphasised, underscoring the historical implications if Manchester United or Tottenham succeeds.
Why It Matters
Breaking the five-team threshold would solidify the Premier League’s dominance in European football and underscore the competitiveness of its clubs. It would also serve as a testament to UEFA’s revamped coefficient system, which rewards leagues for collective performance rather than individual achievements.
Premier League fans and football enthusiasts alike are now waiting with bated breath. Should either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur lift the Europa League trophy, it would not only grant their fans bragging rights but also secure the Premier League’s place in football history.(Punch)
