The Premier League will have at least five teams in next season’s Champions League with England guaranteed one of two spots reserved for Europe’s best-performing nations.
England currently sit top of UEFA’s nation coefficient rankings for 2024/25, ahead of Spain in second and Italy in third.
Under the new Champions League format, two group-stage positions are given to the best-performing countries in Europe the previous season – which saw Italy and Germany gain an extra qualifying spot for this season.
There are still five Premier League teams in Europe, more than from any other country. Italy have long since been the only team capable of knocking England out of the top two in the coefficient rankings for 2024/25.
Serie A still has one representative in each of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League – but following Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid on Tuesday night, even if all of Inter, Lazio and Fiorentina win the respective tournaments, it will not be enough to overturn England’s advantage.
This means even if Arsenal, Aston Villa, Man Utd, Tottenham and Chelsea fail to win a single game in Europe for the rest of the season, England will earn one of the two available spaces.
The Premier League could yet have a sixth spot in the Champions League next season – something no country has ever managed before – if one of Man Utd or Tottenham can win the Europa League and earn the reserved qualification spot from that tournament.
The news will likely be a welcome relief to Chelsea, Man City, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Brighton, the teams currently sitting in fourth to eighth place – and all within five points of one another.
Who is most likely to reach the top five?
Who has the toughest run-in?
Remaining games between the teams in the mix…
Teams included with a five-per-cent or greater chance of finishing in the top five: