Premier League set for fifth Champions League spot after European dominance

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Evening Standard

·29 January 2026

Premier League set for fifth Champions League spot after European dominance

More English clubs will appear across UEFA’s three competitions next season

The Premier League is set to receive a fifth Champions League qualification spot for the 2026-27 campaign after English teams dominated this season’s league phase.

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Of the six Premier League sides to have qualified for this season’s Champions League, five finished in the top eight of the table, securing automatic progression to the round of 16.

Among them are Arsenal, who won all eight of their league phase outings, while Liverpool and Tottenham finished third and fourth, respectively, despite struggling domestically.

Chelsea and Manchester City were close behind in sixth and eighth after wins over Napoli and Galatasaray, while Newcastle finished 12th after a valiant 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain.

The same theme persists in the Europa and Conference Leagues, where all of Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace have yet to be eliminated.

Such a dominant performance from the English clubs has had a galvanising effect for the Premier League’s coefficient rating, the number used by UEFA to grade the quality of a league and decide how many of its teams to admit into any given European tournament.

Following the conclusion of the league phase, the Premier League now tops the coefficient table with 20.069 points.

That leaves them well clear of second-placed Italy, who in turn are closely followed by La Liga and the Bundesliga.

The top two confederations on the coefficient standings are rewarded with an extra qualification slot, meaning the Premier League is well placed to secure five qualification spots for the next Champions League campaign.

It will also expand qualification opportunities for the Europa and Conference leagues, boosting the chances of the likes of Fulham, Brentford, or other smaller sides clinching a European berth.