Record EPL Bid: Nine Clubs Could Play in European Competitions
England has secured an extra place in the 2026/27 Champions League. If Crystal Palace (15th in the Premier League) wins the Conference League and Aston Villa wins the Europa League, nine clubs from one league could compete in Europe next season.
Main Event
The English Premier League is on the verge of a unique achievement in European football history. In the 2026/27 season, nine clubs from a single association could compete in UEFA tournaments — an unprecedented number that would set an absolute record. This scenario became possible after England officially secured an additional, fifth place in the Champions League through the European Performance Ranking.
As of May 8, 2026, it is already known that at least eight English teams will play in European competitions next season. However, events are unfolding in the most dramatic possible scenario: Crystal Palace and Aston Villa have reached the finals of the Conference League and Europa League, respectively, while being far from European qualification spots in the domestic league.
Details and Statistics
Current UEFA rules create a perfect storm for English football. After the reform of European competitions and the introduction of the "Swiss model," the two associations with the highest coefficient for the season each receive an additional place in the Champions League. England has secured first place in the ranking early, with a coefficient of 22.847, ahead of Spain, Germany, and Italy. Thus, the team finishing fifth in the Premier League will directly enter Europe's premier club tournament.
England's standard quota is as follows: four places in the Champions League, two in the Europa League, and one in the Conference League. Plus the additional place from the ranking — that's eight clubs. The ninth appears when the "European trophy winner" effect kicks in. The Europa League winner automatically qualifies for the Champions League, and the Conference League winner qualifies for the Europa League. If the winner does not qualify for Europe through the domestic league, their place becomes additional, without taking away the quota from others.
This is exactly the situation unfolding right now. Crystal Palace sits 15th in the Premier League with 43 points and has no chance of qualifying through the league. However, Oliver Glasner's team has reached the Conference League final, where they will face Spanish side Rayo Vallecano on May 27 in Leipzig. Winning that match guarantees the Eagles a spot in the Europa League next season. In the semifinals, the Londoners beat Shakhtar Donetsk 5-2 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa will face German side Freiburg in the Europa League final on May 20 in Istanbul. The Birmingham club sits fourth in the Premier League and will likely qualify for the Champions League through the league. However, if Villa wins the trophy and drops out of the top five — and the tightness of the table allows such a turn — England would gain an additional representative in the Champions League.
The FA Cup adds further intrigue. If the trophy is won by a team that has already secured a European spot through the league, their quota passes to the next team in the table. Seventh, eighth, and potentially ninth place could become tickets to Europe.
Context and Significance
The Premier League has already written itself into history by sending one club to each of the three European finals: Arsenal will face PSG in the Champions League, Aston Villa will meet Freiburg in the Europa League, and Crystal Palace will take on Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League. This is the first such instance since the introduction of UEFA's three-tournament system.
The very fact of nine clubs qualifying for Europe would be an absolute record in the history of European football. For comparison, in the 2024/25 season, England already had eight representatives thanks to an additional Champions League place for Newcastle, who finished fifth. Now the bar is raised even higher.
The financial aspect of the record is equally impressive. The combined revenue of English clubs from European competitions in the 2026/27 season could exceed €500 million. Each participant in the Champions League group stage is guaranteed around €35 million, not including performance bonuses. For clubs like Brighton or Brentford, who are vying for European spots through high league positions, this money would be a massive boost.
The downside will be a monstrous strain on the calendar. Nine clubs in Europe means nearly half the league will play two matches a week during the autumn-winter period. Coaches will have to seriously consider squad depth and rotation.
Fans outside England view the situation with mixed feelings. The concentration of finance and talent in one league sparks debates about competitive balance in European football.
What's Next / Preview
The climax will come in the next three weeks. On May 20 in Istanbul, Aston Villa will battle for the Europa League trophy against Freiburg. Unai Emery, who has won this tournament four times, will try to claim a fifth title while simultaneously guaranteeing England an extra Champions League spot.
A week later, on May 27, Crystal Palace will face Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig in the Conference League final. Victory would bring the Eagles not only their first European trophy in club history but also a place in the Europa League next season.
Meanwhile, the Premier League season is concluding. The battle for places fifth through eighth promises to be incredibly tight. Liverpool, Chelsea, Brentford, and Everton are separated by just a few points. Every match in the remaining rounds could reshuffle the distribution of European spots.
For the record nine clubs to actually make it to Europe, several conditions must align. Aston Villa must win the Europa League and simultaneously miss out on a top-five Premier League finish. Crystal Palace must win the Conference League while staying outside the European qualification spots in the league. And the FA Cup winner must already have a European berth through the league, freeing up an additional quota for a team from the lower part of the table.
The statistical probability of this scenario is low. Portal Abola, citing the Opta supercomputer, reports that in 10,000 simulations of the season's end, the most common outcome is eight clubs in Europe, while the nine-club scenario requires an almost perfect alignment of results. However, the fact that such a possibility mathematically exists already makes the 2025/26 season historic for English football.
— Editorial Team
