The Premier League can no longer have 11 teams competing in Europe next season, but there is still a way for 10 to be there.
Liverpool’s Champions League elimination by holders Paris Saint-Germain at the quarter-final stage last week ended any hope of there being 11 English sides in Europe in 2026/27.
However, with the Premier League now guaranteed five teams in Europe’s premier club competition next season, there will be at least eight sides competing in Europe, with the two Europa League qualifying places [team finishing sixth & FA Cup winners] and a single Conference League space [team finishing seventh].
That number could even rise to as many as 10. This is how:
The Premier League can no longer have seven teams in next season’s Champions League, but is there any way we can have six?
Yes, there are a few ways this could happen, although some are more likely than others.
The first scenario is if Arsenal win the Champions League and then also finish outside the top four.
As things stand, that is still just about mathematically possible, although the Gunners need only a point from their final four games to be guaranteed a top-four finish this season.
More likely is entry via winning the Europa League, with Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest meeting in the semi-finals, meaning one English side will be in the final.
Now this is where things get complicated. If it is Villa who win the competition, but also finish in the top four, nothing changes and the Champions League spot reserved for winning the Europa League would pass down to the team in qualifying with the best UEFA coefficient, which would be Club Brugge as things stand.
However, were Unai Emery’s side to triumph in Istanbul on May 20 but finish outside the top four, then the Premier League would get six teams in next season’s Champions League, although Villa’s final position in the table would then determine who took the extra place.
For example, were Villa to finish in fifth, then the sixth-placed team would be in Europe’s premier club competition, although the Premier League would then give up a place in next season’s Europa League.
However, in total, England would still have eight European spots next season: six via the Champions League and one each in the Europa League [the FA Cup winners] and the Conference League [finishing in seventh].
Things are a lot less complicated, though, were Forest to cause an upset by winning Europe’s second-tier competition as with Vitor Pereira’s side languishing down in 16th in the table and unable to make Europe next season by winning the FA Cup, they would simply be the Premier League’s sixth Champions League representative next season as happened with Tottenham Hotspur in the last campaign.
How can the Premier League have nine teams in Europe next season?
Remember the side that wins the Conference League goes straight into next season’s Europa League.
Crystal Palace – who face Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals – are favourites to lift that trophy in Leipzig on May 27 and with Oliver Glasner’s side 13th in the table and unlikely to qualify for Europe via their league position, they would compete in next season’s Europa League.
As a result, that would mean nine Premier League teams in Europe next season: five via the Champions League and three in the Europa League [FA Cup & Conference League winners and team finishing sixth] and one in the Conference League [team finishing seventh].
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So how can England have 10 teams in Europe?
That scenario would need both Forest [or Villa, but they would also need to finish outside the top six] and Palace to win the Europa and Conference Leagues respectively.
In that event, the Premier League would have six sides in the Champions League [the top five and the Europa League winners], three in the Europa League [team finishing sixth, the FA Cup & Conference League winners] and one in the Conference League [team finishing seventh].
Does the identity of the FA Cup winners affect things?
Yes, although not the number of teams taking part in Europe, just who competes in what competition.
For example, were Manchester City to win an eighth FA Cup at Wembley on May 16, sixth and seventh places in the Premier League will qualify for the Europa League, with eighth going into the Conference League.
However, if Chelsea win the cup, the west London club would need to finish inside the top seven for the Conference League spot to transfer to eighth.
Were Southampton or Leeds to cause an upset, though, they would take part in next season’s Europa League.
Just checking – can the Premier League have 11 representatives in Europe next season?
No! While that is always the possibility at the start of every campaign, it would need English sides need to win all three European competitions, which can still happen.
However, that trio would also then need to finish outside the qualifying domestic league positions, which barring a mathematical improbability, Arsenal cannot do.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com
