What could lead to the Premier League having five teams qualify for the upcoming Champions League season?

The new season of England’s top-tier football has commenced with remarkable flair, as all teams prepare for another season of exhilarating and opulent Premier League action.

Manchester City, winners of a treble, breezed past Burnley in their first match. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal also secured three points on opening day at the Emirates. However, Liverpool and Chelsea played to a draw in their initial encounter at Stamford Bridge.

While every English club aspires to wrap their club colors around the prestigious trophy at the campaign’s conclusion, Premier League managers are also vying to secure a ticket to the UEFA Champions League for the next season.

GOAL delves into how Premier League clubs could potentially earn additional spots in the forthcoming edition of Europe’s premier tournament with a captivating performance this summer.

THE PATH TO UCL QUALIFICATION
Historically, the top four teams in the Premier League standings at season’s end automatically qualified for the UEFA Champions League.

Manchester City clinched first place, followed by Arsenal in second, with Manchester United and Newcastle United occupying the third and fourth spots, all securing automatic berths in the tournament.

However, this season could bring added motivation for Premier League clubs, as there’s a possibility that the English league could see five clubs earn UCL berths for the next season.

WHO CLAIMS THE EXTRA SPOT?
The UEFA Champions League is set to undergo a format change starting from the 2024/25 season. The new structure involves “36” teams competing for the prestigious title in a “Swiss League” format until two teams face off in the final showdown at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

In an unprecedented move in Premier League history, five teams could be contending for the championship instead of the customary four.

With the expansion of the Champions League participant count, two countries will receive additional berths based on their teams’ performance in UEFA Competitions from the previous season. Therefore, this season holds heightened significance for Premier League clubs, as the fifth-placed team could secure automatic qualification if English sides excel in European competitions this summer.

English clubs must excel not just in the Champions League, but also in the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League.

For instance, last season, Manchester City emerged victorious in the UCL with a hard-fought triumph in Istanbul, while David Moyes’ West Ham United claimed the UEFA Conference League title. If this regulation had been in place earlier, Premier League clubs would have enjoyed five additional berths in six of the past seasons.

If English teams replicate their heroics from the previous season, the team finishing just below the top four will clinch the extra berth.

In an exceptional scenario, the English league could even secure seven spots in the upcoming UEFA Champions League edition. To achieve this, two Premier League clubs would need to win both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League while finishing outside the top five in their domestic league standings.