 "Explained: How Premier League clubs can qualify for the Champions League 2025-26")
The race to qualify for the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League is heating up in the Premier League as the season heads towards its final weeks. With Liverpool already crowned champions and securing one of the spots, five other teams are fighting hard to grab the remaining four Champions League places.
Why will five teams qualify?
England has been given an extra spot in the Champions League thanks to its clubs performing well in UEFA competitions this season. That means the top five teams in the league will qualify, instead of the usual four.
Also, if Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur win the UEFA Europa League this season, they too will go straight into the Champions League. This means up to six English teams could play in the Champions League next season.
Which teams are in the race?
Right now, Arsenal sit second in the table but are struggling with form. They’ve only won once in their last six games and need a couple more points to secure their Champions League place. Their next match is against Newcastle, who are also in the race and could overtake Arsenal with a win.
Newcastle are looking strong after beating Chelsea 1-0 recently. That win helped them move up to third place, while Manchester City dropped to fourth after a surprising goalless draw against bottom-ranked team Southampton.
Chelsea are still in the fight but have dropped to fifth after the loss to Newcastle. Just behind them are Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. Villa have been in great form lately and still have big games coming up against Manchester United and Tottenham.
Forest, on the other hand, are struggling with just one win in their last six games. They failed to beat Leicester City recently and now face tricky matches against West Ham and Chelsea.
With only two matchdays left, the gap between the teams placed third to seventh is just four points, so anything can still happen.
Can 8th place qualify for UCL?
Meanwhile, Manchester City could also have a big say in the race if they win the FA Cup against Crystal Palace. If City lift the trophy and finish in the top five, their Europa League spot from the FA Cup win will go to the next best-placed team in the league.
This means finishing as low as eighth might still be enough to get into Europe next season. That will give some hope to clubs like Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Fulham, who are battling for that eighth place. Brentford and Fulham will even face each other on 18 May in a key clash.
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