English clubs reach the Europa League through 2 main routes: the next Premier League team after the Champions League places, and the FA Cup winners. If a cup winner has already qualified through the league or by winning a UEFA competition, that place passes down the table.
How the English places are allocated
| Route | Competition | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Next club after the Champions League places (5th, or 6th with the EPS) | Europa League | League phase |
| FA Cup winners | Europa League | League phase |
| EFL Cup winners | Conference League | Play-off stage |
| Conference League winners | Europa League | League phase |
For English clubs, there are 2 standard domestic Europa League places. The Conference League place comes from the EFL Cup and starts in the play-off round.
The Conference League title creates a separate route into the Europa League. If a Premier League club wins that competition without already getting into the Europa League through the league or the FA Cup, it joins as an additional English club.
When places pass down the table
Pass-down rules depend on how the cup winner has already qualified. The FA Cup place moves to the highest-placed Premier League club not yet qualified for UEFA competition if the winners are already in the Champions League or Europa League through their league finish or by winning a UEFA competition.
| Scenario | Result | What happens to the place |
|---|---|---|
| FA Cup winners already qualify for the Champions League or Europa League through league position | The winners do not use the FA Cup Europa League place | It passes to the next-highest Premier League club not yet qualified for UEFA competition |
| FA Cup winners already qualify for the Champions League or Europa League by winning a UEFA competition | The winners do not use the FA Cup Europa League place | It passes to the next-highest Premier League club not yet qualified for UEFA competition |
| EFL Cup winners already qualify for the Champions League or Europa League through league position | The winners do not use the Conference League place | It passes to the next-highest Premier League club not yet qualified for UEFA competition |
| EFL Cup winners qualify only by winning a UEFA competition and finish outside the European places | The winners do not use the Conference League place | The Conference League place is forfeited |
That is why 6th, 7th, or even 8th can matter in some seasons. League position is only part of the picture; the domestic cups and the Conference League title can reshape the final list.
What happened for the 2026/27 entries
In 2025/26, Manchester City won the EFL Cup 2-0 against Arsenal and the FA Cup 1-0 against Chelsea at Wembley, then finished 2nd in the league. That meant both domestic cup places passed down the table.
| Club | Competition | How they qualified |
|---|---|---|
| AFC Bournemouth | Europa League | 6th in 2025/26 |
| Sunderland | Europa League | 7th; FA Cup place passed down from Manchester City |
| Crystal Palace | Europa League | 2025/26 Conference League winners |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Conference League (play-offs) | 8th; EFL Cup place passed down from Manchester City |
Bournemouth reached Europe for the first time through their league finish. Sunderland beat Chelsea on the final day, climbed from 10th to 7th, and took the passed-down FA Cup place. Brighton finished 8th and stayed above Brentford on goal difference to take the Conference League play-off spot.
Crystal Palace added a separate Europa League place by winning the 2025/26 Conference League final 1-0 against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig. It was the club's first European trophy. In 2026/27, England has 5 clubs in the Champions League, 3 in the Europa League, and 1 in the Conference League. The Europa League final is on Wednesday 26 May 2027, and the Conference League final is on Wednesday 2 June 2027.
FAQ
How do Premier League clubs qualify for the Conference League?
The standard route is by winning the EFL Cup, which gives a place in the Conference League play-off stage. If the EFL Cup winners have already qualified for the Champions League or Europa League through the league, that place passes down to the next-highest Premier League club not yet qualified for UEFA competition.
That is how Brighton qualified for 2026/27. Manchester City had already qualified through the league, so the EFL Cup place moved down the table.
Do FA Cup winners qualify for the Europa League?
Yes. The FA Cup winners go straight into the Europa League league phase.
If those winners have already reached the Champions League or Europa League through league position or by winning a UEFA competition, the Europa League place does not stay with them. It passes to the next-highest Premier League club not yet qualified for UEFA competition.
Does 6th place in the Premier League get the Europa League?
It can. The league route goes to the next club after the Champions League places, which is 5th in a standard season and 6th when 5th holds the European Performance Spot.
For 2026/27, Bournemouth entered the Europa League after finishing 6th in 2025/26. That place came from the league route, not from a domestic cup pass-down.
Does 7th place in the Premier League get the Conference League?
Not automatically. England's domestic Conference League place belongs to the EFL Cup winners and starts in the play-offs.
7th can still become important when cup places pass down. In the 2026/27 lineup, Sunderland finished 7th and reached the Europa League because the FA Cup place passed down from Manchester City.