Premier League on course for extra Champions League place
The Premier League is currently on course to receive an additional Champions League place for the 2026/27 season.
England’s top tier is currently allocated four spots in the competition, awarded to the teams that finish first to fourth in the league campaign.
However, English football has benefitted from UEFA’s European Performance Spots, where an additional two places are allocated to the two nations with the best single-season Coefficient in the previous campaign.
England led the Coefficient ranking in 2024/25, which allowed Newcastle United – fifth in the Premier League last season – to qualify for the Champions League. The Coefficient is determined by the performances of a nation’s team in European competition.
The Premier League currently leads the 2025/26 Coefficient standings. Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle, Tottenham and Liverpool have all impressed in the Champions League, with the former boasting a 100% record. This season, England has nine representative sides in Europe. Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest (Europa League) and Crystal Palace (Conference League) are also all in UEFA competition.
So far this season, England has a Coefficient of 8.166, the highest in Europe. Portugal (7.600) sit second, with Poland surprisingly third (7.375), ahead of Germany and Spain.
What are UEFA’s additional European Performance Spots?
Since the introduction of the expanded Champions League format in 204/25, two additional places are awarded to the two nations whose clubs collectively performed best in the previous European season. These are known as the European Performance Spots (EPS).
The additional spot is allocated to the club that finishes next-best in their domestic league. Last season, England and Spain earned the places. This allowed fifth-placed Newcastle (Premier League) and Villarreal (La Liga) to qualify for the Champions League.
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