UEFA rule change opens up seven Premier League Champions League spots - Liverpool boost Newcastle United hopes
The Premier League could have as many as seven representatives in next season’s Champions League following a UEFA rule change.
A maximum of seven clubs could be in the Champions League with a further three places available in the Europa League and one in the Conference League. But in order for that to happen, a very specific set of circumstances would have to occur.
The Premier League are on course for having at least five clubs in the Champions League following a UEFA rule change that awards an extra qualification spot based on league position to the two nations with the highest coefficients over the course of the season.
With Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa all qualifying from the league phase of the Champions League, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur doing the same in the Europa League and Chelsea topping their Conference League table - the Premier League are almost certain for a fifth place qualification spot for next season’s Champions League.
Newcastle United, who qualified for the Champions League by finishing fourth during the 2022-23 campaign, currently six sixth in the table. The Magpies cruelly missed out on Europe last season, becoming only the second side to finish seventh in the table and miss out on Europe entirely.
Yet next season there could be as many as seven English teams in the Champions League - here’s how.
Seven Premier League teams in the Champions League
No side finishing lower than fifth in the Premier League will be able to qualify for the Champions League based on league position alone. However, the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United underperforming presents the possibility of a unique situation unfolding.
Man City currently sit fifth in the Premier League table and are only ahead of Newcastle on goals scored. Should they finish outside of the top five and repeat their 2023 feat of winning the Champions League, they would be granted a place in next season’s competition.
The same goes for Aston Villa, who currently sit eighth. Arsenal and Liverpool are currently secure in the top two positions in the Premier League table and are unlikely to drop out of the top five.
Previously, a club winning the Champions League and finishing outside of the Champions League places has removed a qualification spot based on league position (see Tottenham Hotspur 2011-12). But that is no longer the case, UEFA rules do not limit Champions League qualification places in such a way.
As such, the Premier League could have seven teams in next seasons Champions League should there be an English winner of both the Champions League and Europa League who finish outside of the top five.
Manchester United and Spurs are among the favourites to win the Europa League this season which would grant a spot in next season’s Champions League. But both clubs are currently well outside of the top five with Man United sitting 13th and Spurs in 14th - 12 and 14 points behind Newcastle respectively.
If a club qualifies for the Champions League on league position and through winning a competition, no extra qualification spot is granted for that league.
Liverpool hand Newcastle United a European qualification boost
Aside from performing well in the Champions League to boost England’s coefficient, Liverpool may have handed Newcastle another European qualification boost last week.
By beating Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup semi-final last week, Liverpool have effectively guaranteed an extra European qualification place for Newcastle. Should Newcastle lose the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool, the Conference League qualification spot will go to the next highest-ranked Premier League position - which could be as low as eighth.
The preferred alternative would be for Newcastle to beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup next month. In that instance The Magpies would be guaranteed at least a Conference League place regardless.
Had Spurs progressed to win the Carabao Cup, an extra Conference League qualification place would be unlikely due to their league position - unless they were to turn things around domestically or win the Europa League.
Either way, Newcastle’s chances of European qualification this season look a whole lot better after events of the past couple of weeks.