Securing a place in the Champions League or Europa League brings considerable financial rewards to teams thanks to the associated participation money and sponsorship boosts.
The Premier League is one of the continent's top divisions, with its clubs regularly competing at the latter stages of both of UEFA's flagship club tournaments, so the league's coefficient is strong.
As a result, the number of UEFA competition places reserved for English clubs is the highest available - seven.
So, which Premier League clubs will compete in the 2020-21 Champions League and Europa League?
Contents
- Premier League Champions League places
- Premier League Europa League places
- Which Premier League teams will qualify for the Champions League & Europa League?
Premier League Champions League places
The top four teams in the Premier League qualify automatically for the group stage of the following season's Champions League.
A place in the group stage of the Champions League has been reserved for the Premier League top four since the 2018-19 tournament. Prior to that point, the top three went directly into the group stage, with the team that finished fourth having to navigate a play-off round.
It should be noted that a Premier League club will qualify for the Champions League should they win that competition or the Europa League, regardless of where they finish in the domestic standings.
Premier League Europa League places
The fifth-placed team qualifies directly to the group stage of the Europa League.
There are two more Europa League qualification spots reserved for English clubs, but they may not necessarily go to Premier League representatives.
The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the Europa League group stage, while the winners of the Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) qualify for the Europa League second qualifying round.
In the event that the winners of the FA Cup or EFL Cup have already qualified for UEFA competition by virtue of their league finish, the Europa League place goes to the next highest team in the league that has not already qualified.
Which Premier League teams will qualify for the Champions League & Europa League?
Liverpool became the first Premier League team to confirm their place in the 2020-21 Champions League and Jurgen Klopp's men were also been crowned champions of the division.
The Reds will be joined in next season's Champions League by Manchester City, who have secured second place in the Premier League table.
City had actually been slapped with a two-year ban from UEFA competition in February, but the club contested the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In July, the CAS ruled in City's favour and the ban was lifted, meaning they are able to take their place in the 2020-21 Champions League.
| Pos | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool (UCL) | 38 | 32 | 3 | 3 | +52 | 99 |
| 2 | Manchester City (UCL) | 38 | 26 | 3 | 9 | +67 | 81 |
| 3 | Manchester United (UCL) | 38 | 18 | 12 | 8 | +30 | 66 |
| 4 | Chelsea (UCL) | 38 | 20 | 6 | 12 | +15 | 66 |
| 5 | Leicester (UEL) | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | +26 | 62 |
| 6 | Tottenham (UEL) | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | +14 | 59 |
| 7 | Wolves | 38 | 15 | 14 | 9 | +11 | 59 |
| 8 | Arsenal | 38 | 14 | 14 | 10 | +8 | 56 |
Manchester United finished third and Chelsea came fourth to take the other two Champions League places, squeezing Brendan Rodgers' Leicester City into fifth place and the Europa League spots.
Since Man City won the Carabao Cup, sixth place will also bring the reward of Europa League football, with Tottenham set to entering at the second qualifying round.
Arsenal finished eighth but the Gunners could potentially reach the Europa League group stage should they win the FA Cup.
However, if Chelsea win the FA Cup, Tottenham will enter the group stage of the Europa League and Wolves - who finished seventh - will take the Europa League place that is currently allocated to Spurs.
