Premier League has clinched fifth Champions League spot - but could get another

The Premier League could boast six clubs in the Champions League for a second season running if all the right pieces fall into place – but we know five will be guaranteed qualification.

The extra fifth place was sealed after Arsenal emerged victorious over Sporting in their quarter-final , with Kai Havertz’s late winner in Lisbon proving the difference

It is the second consecutive year that the Premier League has earned an additional spot, with the English top flight at the pinnacle of the European Performance Standings.

Last term saw an unprecedented six English clubs qualify for Europe’s premier competition; five by their league position, while Tottenham earned their place in the league phase after winning the Europa League .

And the same could happen again this term, with the Premier League appearing as one of the more prominent beneficiaries to the competition’s expansion to 36 teams that came into effect at the beginning of 2024/25. Here’s what needs to happen:

As with every season, the top four clubs in the Premier League table are guaranteed a spot in the 2026/27 edition – but like last year, England have earned an additional place .

Newcastle were the team that benefited from this last term, whose final-day loss didn’t mean as much as it might have after the Magpies were leapfrogged by Chelsea into fourth .

That elusive fifth spot is earned by being one of the best-performing two nations in each season’s European club competitions . English teams performed particularly well in the Champions League league phase, which boosted their points tally in Uefa’s standings, and while last-16 exits of Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle and Tottenham threatened their ranking, Arsenal’s success has eased any fears of the Premier League being limited to four berths next term.

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Chelsea secured Champions League qualification on the final day last term (Getty Images)

The Premier League will therefore definitely have a quintet of Champions League teams by the end of the campaign. But wait, there’s more!

The winner of the Europa League is also awarded a place in the Champions League - a competition in which half of the remaining four teams are English.

Aston Villa , who finished second in the league phase, are the favourites to lift the title. They stormed past Bologna 7-1 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals, where they will face fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest, who knocked out Portuguese heavyweights Porto . This means an English team is guaranteed to feature in the final in Istanbul, against either Freiburg or Braga.

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Aston Villa are among the favourites to win the Europa League (PA Wire)

But in order for that elusive sixth qualification spot to be delivered the Premier League’s way, it’s not quite as simple as either team just lifting the trophy.

Villa are currently fourth in the Premier League , ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea by seven points, so would need Europa League glory to come at the expense of their top-five finish to allow six English teams to qualify.

Forest are embroiled in a relegation battle at the other end of the table so their requirements are more straightforward; if they win the Europa League, a sixth spot in the continent’s premier competition will be sealed.

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Unlike Aston Villa, Europa League glory does not need to come at the expense of domestic success for the Premier League to earn an extra Champions League spot (Reuters)

The Premier League was dreaming of an unprecedented seventh seat at Europe’s top table, which might have come if an English team won the Champions League but also finished outside of the top five.

However, after how things panned out in the quarter-finals, that is no longer possible.

Liverpool, who are fourth in the Premier League , were knocked out by holders Paris Saint-Germain , while Arsenal - still in the competition and set for a semi-final tie with Atletico Madrid - cannot mathematically finish outside the Champions League qualification places, sat 22 points ahead of sixth at the top of the English top flight.