Newcastle United are now in Champions League qualifying position for 2025/26 competition | OneFootball

Can Newcastle United qualify for the Champions League this season?

Can Eddie Howe and his squad repeat that 2022/23 season, that got them entry into the top competition?

Newcastle United fans dreaming of more Champions League nights.

Home AND away.

So what are the chances of it becoming reality…

This is how the Premier League table currently looks on Friday (27 December 2024) morning:

After the latest excellent and dominant Newcastle United win, Eddie Howe’s side finding themselves in fifth place, having moved above Man City, Bournemouth and Villa.

Currently, it is Liverpool, Chelsea, Forest and Arsenal occupying the top four positions, which guarantee you entry into the 2025/26 Champions League competition.

Newcastle United are now just four, five and six points respectively behind Arsenal, Forest and Chelsea, though the Gunners do play Ipswich tonight.

However, a Champions League qualifying route remains very much open to Newcastle United as things stand.

Indeed, Eddie Howe and his NUFC team WILL be playing in next season’s Champions League for sure, if the status quo is maintained.

At the end of last season, an extra place in the Champions League was awarded to the Bundesliga and Serie A, as those countries had the two best overall performances in European competitions last season.

It was the first time these extra places were awarded, as part of the expanded 36 club ‘Swiss League’ Champions League format.

If though this had been operating previously, then five of the six seasons before 2023/24 would have seen England one of the top two countries overall, in European competitions.

This season’s combined results in European competition for each of the competing leagues?

ESPN report on current position at end of December 2024 – Which countries in best position to get one of the two bonus places in the 2025/26 Champions League competition:

How does the coefficient table look this season?

1. England, 14.035 2. Italy, 12.562 3. Portugal, 12.450 4. Belgium, 11.900 5. Spain, 11.892 6. Germany, 10.640 7. France, 9.928 8. Sweden, 9.375 9. Czechia, 8.700 10. Cyprus, 8.687

As you can see, England and the Premier League at the very top, already opening up a sizeable gap over Italy and Portugal, who are the next two highest, as things stand.

So if Newcastle United can maintain (at worst!) fifth position in the Premier League, then  it looks a cracking bet that Eddie Howe and his side will be back playing Champions League football next season.

If NUFC keep their league form going, it means that I may well be holding my nose when European football resumes in January, ‘cheering’ on the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal…

Newcastle United upcoming matches:

Monday 30 December – Man U v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 4 January – Tottenham v Newcastle (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Tuesday 7 January – Arsenal v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports and ITV1 and ITVX

Sunday 12 January – Newcastle v Bromley (3pm) BBC iPlayer (FA Cup)

Wednesday 15 January – Newcastle v Wolves (7.30pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 18 January – Newcastle v Bournemouth (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 25 January – Southampton v Newcastle (3pm)

Saturday 1 February – Newcastle v Fulham (3pm)

Wednesday 5 February – Newcastle v Arsenal (8pm) Sky Sports