Excitement rises as 3 conditions are revealed for 6 Premier League teams to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, with three underdog teams still in contention.
On 11 May 2026 GMT+7, three conditions were unveiled under which six English Premier League teams will qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season. Underdog teams such as Bournemouth, Brighton, and Brentford still have hopes of making a surprise UCL qualification.
England has an additional special quota for one team based on UEFA’s European Performance Spot (EPS) coefficient, beyond the standard league ranking slots (positions 1 to 4). The three teams already secured for the UCL are Arsenal, Manchester City, and Manchester United.
1. Arsenal (36 matches) 79 points *Qualified for UCL
2. Manchester City (35 matches) 74 points *Qualified for UCL
3. Manchester United (36 matches) 65 points *Qualified for UCL
4. Liverpool (36 matches) 59 points (goal difference +12)
5. Aston Villa (36 matches) 59 points (+4)
6. Bournemouth (36 matches) 55 points
7. Brighton (36 matches) 53 points
8. Brentford (36 matches) 51 points
Currently, the conditions to qualify for the UEFA Champions League in the final two matches require finishing in the top five, a battle among Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth. Brighton and Brentford still have one alternative path to UCL qualification if the following three conditions are met:
1. Liverpool finishes 4th
2. Aston Villa finishes 5th and wins the UEFA Europa League
3. Bournemouth, Brighton, or Brentford finishes 6th
The UEFA Europa League champion also secures a special UCL spot, potentially allowing six Premier League teams to qualify for the UCL this season. Aston Villa will face Freiburg in the Europa League final on 20 May 2026 GMT+7.
If Aston Villa wins the Europa League and finishes 5th in the Premier League, the EPS spot will shift to the 6th-placed team. However, if they finish in the top 4 and also win the Europa League, Aston Villa will qualify for the UCL via their league position, the EPS quota will go to the 5th-placed team, resulting in only five teams qualifying for the UCL, and the 6th-placed team will enter the UEFA Europa League instead.
