The Premier League will be rewarded one of the two competitions in Europe with an extra place in the UEFA Champions League from 2025/26 after Arsenal Real Madrid defeated 3-0 in the first stage of their quarterfinals.
Thanks to the versions of Premier League clubs in all the competitions of UEFA this season, England is now guaranteed a top-two place in the rankings of UEFA's Association Club Coefficient, which earns a “European Performance Spot” (EPS). This means that, like the top four teams placed in the Premier League, the club ends fifth in 2024/25, also directly to the Champions League next season.
In addition, the winners of the Champions League of this season and the winners of the UEFA Europa League will each have a place in the Champions League 2025/26, if they have not yet qualified for the competition through their competitions.
It means that the Premier League could possibly have no fewer than seven clubs in next season's Champions League -the top five teams in the competition, plus the Champions League winners and the Europa League winners when they end up outside the top five.
How does the fifth placed team qualify?
UEFA calculates which two competitions are rewarded with an extra Champions League place by adding coefficient points based on the versions of clubs of each competition in the Champions League, Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
It means that the different competitions compete with each other in a ranking called the “Association Club Coefficient”.
Every victory for a club in one of UEFA's club competitions this season earns two points, while a draw gets one point and there are no points for a defeat.
In addition, bonus points are awarded according to where every club ends in their European League table. These are weighed according to the competition. For example, if you have finished the top of the table in the Champions League, you will get 12 bonus points, while completing the top of the Europa League will get you six, and the top team in the Conference League gets four.
Extra bonus points are awarded for reaching each round from the last 16. These are also weighed according to the competition.
Bonus points added per round
Champions League 1.5
Europa League 1.0
Conference League 0.5
The points of all participating clubs from each competition are in total and then shared by the number of clubs that started the season in UEFA matches, to calculate the average of the Association Club Coëfficient.
What are the rankings?
England (the Premier League) is currently at the top of the table, with five teams up to the quarterfinals – more than all their rivals.
The victory of Arsenal means that England has protected a top-two place in the ranking, which would yield a fifth Champions League spot for the Premier League next season.
Here is the ranking of the coefficients as it is on 8 April after the first legs of the first two UEFA Champions League quarter finals.