Teams like Brighton, Brentford, or Bournemouth could get a shot at playing in Europe—even if they finish eighth.
Image credit: Premier League
Three English football teams—Brighton, Brentford, and Bournemouth—still have a small chance to play in European competitions next season.
But for that to happen, Chelsea must win the Conference League and finish seventh in the Premier League.
The Premier League season ends this Sunday, and it’s still possible that up to 10 English teams could be playing in European tournaments during the 2025–26 season.
Let’s break it down.
Which English Teams Are Going to Europe?
So far, Liverpool and Arsenal have already qualified for the Champions League, which is the most important club competition in Europe.
They could be joined by three of the following teams:
- Newcastle
- Chelsea
- Aston Villa
- Manchester City
- Nottingham Forest
Also, the winner of the Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham will qualify for the Champions League too.
Who Is Going to the Europa League?
Crystal Palace beat Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final, so they automatically qualify for the Europa League.
Another team—whoever finishes sixth in the Premier League—will also join them.
What’s the Deal with Chelsea and the Conference League?
This part is a little tricky.
Chelsea is playing in the Conference League final against Real Betis on May 28. If Chelsea wins that game, they go into the Europa League.
But that’s not all. If Chelsea also finishes seventh in the Premier League, the team in eighth place (currently Brighton) would get their spot in the Conference League.
That means teams like Brighton, Brentford, or Bournemouth could get a shot at playing in Europe—even if they finish eighth.
If Chelsea finishes sixth and wins the Conference League, then Newcastle, if in seventh, could also shift things around and leave the eighth-place team with a chance at Europe.
However, if Chelsea loses the final or finishes high enough to qualify for the Champions League, then things become simpler:
- The top 5 teams and the Europa League winner go to the Champions League.
- Crystal Palace and the sixth-place team go to the Europa League.
- The seventh-place team plays in the Conference League.
Who’s in the Running Now?
After Brighton’s 3-2 win over Liverpool, they moved up to eighth place.
But Brentford and Bournemouth still have a chance to pass them—especially since Bournemouth has one more game to play than Brighton.
Teams like Fulham in 10th place can no longer qualify.
Why Are There So Many English Teams in the Champions League?
The Champions League was expanded to 36 teams by UEFA (Europe’s football organization).
Two of the extra spots go to the countries whose teams did best in European competitions the year before.
For 2025–26, England and Spain earned those extra spots.
That’s why six English teams will be in the Champions League instead of the usual four.
Which Teams Will Be in the 2025–26 Champions League?
So far, 22 of the 36 spots in the Champions League are already taken. Here’s a quick list:
From England:
- Liverpool
- Arsenal
- 3 of these teams: Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest
- Winner of the Europa League final (Manchester United or Tottenham)
From Italy:
- Napoli, Inter Milan, Atalanta
- 1 of: Juventus, Roma, Lazio
From Spain:
- Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal
From Germany:
- Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund
From France:
- Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Monaco
From other countries:
- Ajax and PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
- Sporting (Portugal)
- Galatasaray (Turkey)
- Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)
- Olympiakos (Greece)
- Union St-Gilloise or Club Bruges (Belgium)
The last seven spots will be filled through qualifying rounds.
What Premier League Games Will Decide Who Goes to Europe?
Some important matches are coming up:
Tuesday, May 20:
- Manchester City vs. Bournemouth
If City gets at least a draw (tie), they will move up to third place.
That would leave four teams tied at 66 points, with Nottingham Forest just behind with 65.
Forest has already secured a place in a European competition—but which one depends on how they finish the season.
If Forest loses to Chelsea, they will be in the Conference League. If they win, they could move up to the Europa League or even the Champions League, but that depends on how other teams do.
City, who won the Champions League in 2023, will make it again if they earn at least four points in their last two matches (against Bournemouth and Fulham).
Sunday, May 25:
- Bournemouth vs. Leicester
- Fulham vs. Manchester City
- Manchester United vs. Aston Villa
- Newcastle vs. Everton
- Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea
- Tottenham vs. Brighton
- Wolves vs. Brentford
These final games will decide which teams get to play in Europe.
Final Thoughts
It’s going to be a dramatic finish to the Premier League season.
