The Premier League has officially secured five spots in the Champions League for the 2025/26 season.
Arsenal’s scintillating 3-0 win over Real Madrid on Tuesday night ensured that the English Premier League is guaranteed to remain in the top two of UEFA’s season association coefficient rankings. This means that the team finishing fifth in the league will automatically qualify for the Champions League next season.
How do UEFA’s season association coefficient rankings work?
The rankings measure how well the clubs in each league perform in all three European competitions over the course of the season. Two points are awarded for each win, one for each draw, and zero for losses. Then the total points are divided by the number of clubs from that league participating in European competitions.
According to UEFA’s latest Champions League format, the leagues who end the season in the top two of the rankings are guaranteed a fifth spot in the next season’s Champions League competition.
How have Premier League clubs performed?
The Premier League has shown consistent success across the Champions League, the Europa League and the Conference League this season. Liverpool and Chelsea finished top of the Champions League and the Conference League respectively, with the Reds losing only one of their games, while the Blues had a 100 per cent record. Manchester United also went unbeaten in the Europa League, finishing third. Teams like Arsenal and Aston Villa have also delivered strong performances.
Five English teams out of seven (Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs) remain in contention in all three European competitions.
Which club will make fifth place?
The race for the champions league is intense in the Premier League. With seven games left to play, each of the teams placed third to ninth inclusive retain some hopes of making it into at least the top five. However, chances are much higher for Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Newcastle, Manchester City, and Aston Villa, with only six points separating third and seventh place.
