The clubs who will get european football next year premier league places are decided by final league positions, domestic cup winners, and England’s UEFA allocation. The Premier League table sets most of the order, but cup results and a possible extra Champions League place can change which teams qualify.
To identify the clubs for a particular season, start with the previous season’s final standings, then account for the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and European titleholders. This guide explains the usual routes, what happens when a cup winner has already qualified, and how to read the final list without confusing a guaranteed place with a possibility.
Who will get european football next year premier league places?
In a typical season, the highest-placed Premier League clubs qualify for the Champions League, the next eligible teams enter the Europa League, and a domestic cup winner can earn a place in the Conference League. The exact clubs depend on the final table and cup winners. The number of Champions League places can also rise from four to five if England earns UEFA’s additional performance place.
That means a league position alone does not always tell the whole story. A club finishing fifth might qualify for the Champions League in one season and the Europa League in another. A cup winner outside the top positions can also qualify for Europe, while a team that appears to have earned a cup place may already have qualified through the league.
For the next season, use the completed Premier League table and the results of that season’s domestic and European finals. Without those confirmed results, naming clubs would risk giving you an outdated or incorrect list.
How Premier League league positions usually translate to Europe
The league table is the main route into UEFA competition. Under the usual allocation, the top four qualify for the Champions League and the fifth-placed team qualifies for the Europa League. Cup places and an extra UEFA performance place can shift those positions or add teams.
| Route | Usual European destination | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Top four in the Premier League | Champions League | Whether England receives an additional performance place |
| Fifth in the Premier League | Europa League, unless an extra Champions League place changes the allocation | England’s UEFA allocation for that season |
| FA Cup winner | Europa League | Whether the winner has already qualified through the league or another route |
| Carabao Cup winner | Conference League qualifying or league phase, depending on the season’s format | Whether the winner has already qualified and how the place is reassigned |
| Europa League winner | Champions League | Whether the winner is an English club and has already qualified domestically |
| Conference League winner | Europa League | Whether the winner is an English club and has already qualified domestically |
This is a guide to the usual routes, not a promise that every season’s allocation will be identical. UEFA regulations and the number of places awarded to each association determine the final distribution.
Why England can sometimes send five teams to the Champions League
UEFA can award an extra Champions League place to the two associations whose clubs perform best across UEFA competitions during the relevant season. These places are known as European Performance Spots, or EPS. If England earns one, the highest-placed Premier League club that would otherwise miss out can enter the Champions League.
So, when England earns an EPS, the top five league finishers can qualify for the Champions League through the table. Without it, the normal league allocation is generally the top four. The extra spot is not automatically awarded to the Premier League every year; it depends on results across the season and UEFA’s calculation.
Do not treat fifth place as a guaranteed Champions League position before the EPS decision is confirmed. The same finishing place can lead to a different competition in different years. Check the confirmed allocation before describing a club’s qualification as certain.
How the FA Cup and Carabao Cup affect the places
The FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, also called the EFL Cup, offer routes into European competition. In the usual arrangement, the FA Cup winner receives a Europa League place, while the Carabao Cup winner earns a Conference League place. A club can therefore qualify for Europe without finishing high enough in the league to claim a place on standings alone.
If the cup winner has already qualified
A cup winner may also finish high enough in the Premier League to qualify for Europe. It does not keep two separate entries. Instead, the cup allocation is reassigned under the applicable rules, usually to the highest-placed league club that has not already qualified.
The place does not normally go to the losing finalist just because the winner has another route. For example, if the FA Cup winner has already qualified for the Champions League through its league finish, the other finalist does not automatically inherit the Europa League entry. The precise reassignment depends on the competition regulations and the season’s allocation.
The same basic issue can arise with the Carabao Cup. If its winner has already secured a European place, the Conference League route can pass to another eligible club through the league allocation. Follow the final official allocation rather than assuming a cup runner-up gets the place.
How European competition winners can change the picture
English clubs can also qualify by winning a UEFA competition. The Europa League winner earns entry to the next Champions League, while the Conference League winner earns entry to the next Europa League. These are separate qualification routes, so European finals can affect the overall number and identity of English clubs in Europe.
A European title does not simply move every Premier League place down one position. UEFA has specific rules for titleholders and association limits. If a winner has already qualified through its domestic league position, its titleholder entry may be handled differently than if it finishes outside the qualifying places. The outcome depends on the winner’s league finish and the full allocation for that season.
For a reliable list, check both domestic qualification and European titleholder qualification. A table showing only league positions can miss an English club that qualified by winning a European trophy.
How to work out the confirmed clubs step by step
- Start with the final Premier League table. Identify the top four, then check whether England received an additional Champions League performance place. If so, include the fifth-placed club in the league-based Champions League group.
- Add the domestic cup winners. Record the FA Cup winner and Carabao Cup winner, along with the usual Europa League and Conference League route attached to each competition.
- Check whether each winner already has a place. A club that qualifies through the league does not take two separate entries. Apply the season’s rules to see which eligible club receives any reassigned place.
- Check the European finals. Add any English Europa League or Conference League winner under the relevant titleholder route, while checking whether that club also qualified through the Premier League.
- Use the confirmed UEFA allocation. Verify the final competition and entry round for each club. This matters because a place may begin in a qualifying round rather than the league phase.
This process prevents two frequent errors: counting a club twice and assuming that a cup final loser takes the winner’s place. It also separates a likely outcome from an officially confirmed one.
What does “European football” include?
In this context, European football means qualification for one of UEFA’s three men’s club competitions: the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League. The Champions League is the highest tier, followed by the Europa League and then the Conference League.
Qualifying for a competition does not always mean entering its main league phase directly. Depending on the club’s route and the season’s format, it may have to play qualifying rounds first. That distinction matters when you are checking a fixture list or deciding whether a club’s European campaign begins in summer or later in the year.
Some reports use “European places” to mean the number of English clubs in UEFA competition overall. Others mean only the Champions League. Read the competition name carefully: a club can be in Europe without being in the Champions League.
Common mistakes when predicting the European places
- Assuming fifth place always means the same competition. An EPS can move the fifth-placed club into the Champions League.
- Counting cup places before the finals. Until a cup is won, its European place has no confirmed winner.
- Giving a cup place to the losing finalist automatically. The place is generally reassigned through league qualification rules, not awarded to the runner-up by default.
- Counting one club twice. A league position and a cup win do not create two separate entries for the same team.
- Leaving out European titleholders. An English club can earn a place by winning a UEFA competition, even if its league position does not tell the full story.
- Confusing a place with direct entry. Some qualifying routes begin before the competition’s main league phase.
Where to check the final qualification list
Use the Premier League’s final table to confirm finishing positions, then check the official FA and EFL results for the domestic cup winners. UEFA’s competition regulations and confirmed access list clarify how the places are assigned for that season.
When comparing reports, look for the season they cover and whether the UEFA performance places have been confirmed. A story written before the final European results may describe fifth place as a possibility rather than a settled Champions League spot.
The clearest final list names each club, its competition, and whether it enters directly or through qualifying. If any of those details are missing, treat the allocation as provisional rather than final.
The clubs that qualify for Europe are determined mainly by the Premier League’s final standings, with the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, European titleholders, and a possible extra Champions League place affecting the final allocation. Fifth place is not a guaranteed Champions League spot unless England’s additional performance place is confirmed.
To identify the teams for the season you mean, check the completed league table and cup winners, then apply the confirmed UEFA allocation. Verify each club’s competition and entry round before treating the list as final.