A host of Premier League clubs will be cheering for Aston Villa in the Europa League final, as a victory could secure a Champions League spot for the team finishing sixth in England’s top flight. Villa face Freiburg in Istanbul on May 20, just four days before the final day of the Premier League season.
European qualification has grown increasingly complex in recent seasons, largely due to UEFA’s new European Performance Spots (EPS). These provide extra Champions League places to the two leagues with the best overall performance each season. The Premier League has secured one of these two spots for 2026-27, with Spain’s La Liga claiming the other. This ensures at least eight English clubs will compete in European competitions next season.
With Aston Villa, Arsenal, and Crystal Palace all reaching European finals, the implications for the Premier League are significant.
**How European Places Work**
The EPS system is straightforward in logic but complicated by other factors. It has two key features: it applies after all domestic and European cup winners are considered, and it always adds one extra place to a league’s overall allocation. England was originally set for seven European spots before securing the EPS, but now has at least eight.
As things stand, subject to the FA Cup winner and their final league position, the current allocation is as follows:
– Fifth place: Champions League spot
– Sixth place: Europa League spot
– Seventh place: Conference League spot
The top five have pulled away, with Liverpool and Aston Villa sitting fourth and fifth on 58 points each. There is a six-point gap to Bournemouth in sixth with three games remaining. The battle now focuses on the positions below, and it’s possible that sixth place could become a Champions League route. Just five points separate Bournemouth (52) from 12th-placed Sunderland (47). Brentford (51) sit seventh, followed by Brighton (50), Chelsea (48), Everton (48), Fulham (48), and Sunderland (47).
**What If Arsenal Win the Champions League?**
Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. The Gunners are set to finish in the top four, so winning the Champions League does not affect the allocation. The place reserved for the Champions League titleholders would pass to the league champions in qualifying with the best UEFA coefficient, likely Shakhtar Donetsk. For the Premier League to gain a sixth Champions League spot through this route, Arsenal would have needed to finish outside the top four.
English clubs have reached all three European finals for the first time.
**What If Villa Win the Europa League?**
Europa League winners qualify for the Champions League. If Villa win and finish in the top four, England’s European spots remain unchanged: five Champions League teams and eight overall in Europe. The place reserved for the Europa League titleholders would pass to the team with the best UEFA coefficient in qualifying, currently likely Benfica.
If Villa finish outside the top four, the Premier League would have six teams in the Champions League: the top four, Villa as Europa League winners, and the EPS spot. Villa’s exact final position determines the total European allocation. If they finish fifth, the EPS goes to the Premier League’s sixth-placed team. Since the Europa League final occurs before the last league matchday, this could create an intense battle for sixth place. In that scenario, the Premier League would surrender a Europa League spot, but overall England would have nine teams in Europe.
