The Premier League usually sends 4 teams to the Champions League league phase. For 2025/26 and 2026/27, it also had an extra European Performance Spot, so 5th place qualified as well; winning the Champions League or Europa League is another route.
The standard Premier League allocation
Under the Premier League's explanation of European qualification, the top 4 teams in the table qualify straight for the next season's Champions League league phase. There are no qualifying rounds for those clubs.
| Route | Who qualifies | Note |
|---|---|---|
| League position | 1st to 4th | League phase, no qualifying rounds |
| European Performance Spot | Next-best club not already qualified for the league phase, normally 5th | Only when the league finishes in UEFA's top 2 for that season; the Premier League earned it in 2024/25 and 2025/26 |
| Champions League winners | Any league position | A top-4 place already earned is not passed down |
| Europa League winners | Any league position | Same rule as the Champions League winners |
Why 5th place can qualify
Since the Champions League expanded to 36 teams, UEFA has awarded an extra place called the European Performance Spot, or EPS. It goes to the two leagues whose clubs perform best in UEFA competitions across that season, and the place is then given to the highest-ranked club in that league not already qualified for the league phase, usually the team in 5th.
The Premier League earned that extra place in 2024/25 and again in 2025/26. That means 5th place qualified in both seasons, and there are 5 English clubs in the 2026/27 Champions League.
Other ways Premier League clubs can get in
A Premier League club can also reach the next season's Champions League league phase by winning either the Champions League or the Europa League, whatever its league position. That is why the total number of English entrants can rise above the usual total.
One rule stops automatic pass-down from happening inside the league table. If a club has already qualified through its league finish, its Champions League place as a titleholder is not handed to another Premier League side. There is also a separate EPS clause: if a titleholder finishes in the EPS position, the EPS moves to the next club in the table, while that club's Europa League place is given up to another country's league.
Which English clubs are in the 2026/27 Champions League
The 2026/27 Premier League Handbook lists 5 English clubs in the competition. Aston Villa also won the 2025/26 Europa League, beating Freiburg 3-0 on 20 May 2026, but Villa had already finished 4th, so that winner's route did not create an extra English place.
| Club | 2025/26 finish | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 1st | League position |
| Manchester City | 2nd | League position |
| Manchester United | 3rd | League position |
| Aston Villa | 4th | League position (also 2025/26 Europa League winners) |
| Liverpool | 5th | European Performance Spot |
There has also been a bigger English presence before. In 2025/26, 6 English clubs played in the Champions League, the first time any country had more than 5. That group was the top 5 from 2024/25 plus Tottenham Hotspur, who won the 2024/25 Europa League final 1-0 in Bilbao. Before that, the Premier League had 5 Champions League clubs only once, in 2017/18, when Manchester United joined the top 4 after winning the 2016/17 Europa League.
FAQ
Does 5th place in the Premier League qualify for the Champions League?
It does when the Premier League earns the European Performance Spot. That happened in 2024/25 and again in 2025/26, so 5th place qualified in both cases.
Without that extra spot, the standard league route remains the top 4.
How many English teams can play in the Champions League?
The usual league allocation is 4, and EPS can raise that to 5. A club can also enter by winning the Champions League or Europa League, which can push the total higher.
The clearest recent example came in 2025/26, when 6 English clubs played in the competition.
Do Premier League qualifiers have to play Champions League qualifying rounds?
The top 4 from the Premier League go directly into the league phase, with no qualifying rounds. The current qualification routes described by the Premier League also place titleholders into the league phase.
UEFA can still change the conditions in its access list, so the official season documents remain the final reference point.
Why did Aston Villa's Europa League win not give England another place for 2026/27?
Villa finished 4th in the Premier League, so they had already qualified through league position. Under the rule set explained by the Premier League, that place is not passed down to another English club.
The pass-down clause applies to the EPS position in a different way: if a titleholder finishes in the EPS place, the EPS moves to the next club in the table.