Leicester City had the worst Premier League title defence. After winning the 2015/16 title, they finished 12th in 2016/17. Chelsea are next on that list after finishing 10th in 2015/16 following their 2014/15 title.
Full record
Here is the complete record of how each Premier League champion finished in the following season.
| Champions | Title season | Next season | Finish | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | 1992/93 | 1993/94 | 1 | 92 |
| Manchester United | 1993/94 | 1994/95 | 2 | 88 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1994/95 | 1995/96 | 7 | 61 |
| Manchester United | 1995/96 | 1996/97 | 1 | 75 |
| Manchester United | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 2 | 77 |
| Arsenal | 1997/98 | 1998/99 | 2 | 78 |
| Manchester United | 1998/99 | 1999/00 | 1 | 91 |
| Manchester United | 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 1 | 80 |
| Manchester United | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 3 | 77 |
| Arsenal | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2 | 78 |
| Manchester United | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 3 | 75 |
| Arsenal | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2 | 83 |
| Chelsea | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 1 | 91 |
| Chelsea | 2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2 | 83 |
| Manchester United | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | 1 | 87 |
| Manchester United | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 1 | 90 |
| Manchester United | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2 | 85 |
| Chelsea | 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2 | 71 |
| Manchester United | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2 | 89 |
| Manchester City | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2 | 78 |
| Manchester United | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 7 | 64 |
| Manchester City | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2 | 79 |
| Chelsea | 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 10 | 50 |
| Leicester City | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 12 | 44 |
| Chelsea | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 5 | 70 |
| Manchester City | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 1 | 98 |
| Manchester City | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2 | 81 |
| Liverpool | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 3 | 69 |
| Manchester City | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 1 | 93 |
| Manchester City | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 1 | 89 |
| Manchester City | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 1 | 91 |
| Manchester City | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 3 | 71 |
| Liverpool | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | 5 | 60 |
The lowest finishes by defending champions
Leicester City sit at the bottom of the title-defence standings with a 12th-place finish. Chelsea's 10th-place finish comes next, making those two seasons the weakest defences in the Premier League era.
Behind them are two seventh-place finishes, by Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United. Chelsea and Liverpool also appear in the lowest group with fifth-place finishes after winning the title the year before.
Teams that actually retained the title
Here are the seasons in which a defending champion finished first again.
| Club | Retained the title in |
|---|---|
| Manchester United | 1993/94 |
| Manchester United | 1996/97 |
| Manchester United | 1999/00 |
| Manchester United | 2000/01 |
| Chelsea | 2005/06 |
| Manchester United | 2007/08 |
| Manchester United | 2008/09 |
| Manchester City | 2018/19 |
| Manchester City | 2021/22 |
| Manchester City | 2022/23 |
| Manchester City | 2023/24 |
There have been 11 successful title retentions in the Premier League. The list is made up of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.
Arsenal's defence of the 2025/26 title is still in progress in 2026/27, so it is not part of the final table.
FAQ
Which Premier League champion finished lowest in the next season?
Leicester City finished lowest. They won the title in 2015/16 and then ended 2016/17 in 12th place.
Who had the second-worst title defence?
Chelsea had the second-worst one. After winning the league in 2014/15, they finished 10th in 2015/16.
Has any defending champion finished seventh?
Yes. Blackburn Rovers finished seventh in 1995/96, and Manchester United also finished seventh in 2013/14.
Who is the most recent defending champion to miss the top four?
Liverpool are the most recent case. After winning in 2024/25, they finished fifth in 2025/26.