What needs to happen for nine Premier League teams to play in Europe next season

Nine Premier League teams will be play in Europe next season if three results happen in the next week.

Aston Villa sealed a return to the Champions League on Wednesday night after winning the Europa League - harking back memories of their 1982 triumph in Rotterdam.

Unai Emery won the competition for the fifth time with a third different club in Istanbul when Villa beat Freiburg 3-0 thanks to goals from Youri Tielemans, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers.

They are now back in Europe's premier club competition as a result but their result is also a huge one for English football as it looks set to bring additional European participation.

Top three Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United are all in the Champions League, with Villa currently in fourth spot.

What are the permutations for nine teams in Europe?

However, as shared by Dale Johnson of the BBC, if Villa finish fifth in the Premier League then an additional spot in the Champions League will be allocated as part of the EPS 'European Performance Spot) which is going to England.

That would go down to sixth spot, currently occupied by Bournemouth after an excellent season under the departing Andoni Iraola. The Premier League would give up its Europa League spot for league position.

In a slightly unusual scenario, Bournemouth need Villa to lose to City in Pep Guardiola's final game - as well as Liverpool beating Brentford to finish fourth - so that they take the sixth Champions League spot and enjoy nights under the lights at the Vitality Stadium.

If those aforementioned results happen, Brighton and Chelsea are best placed to take the final European spots for the Europa League and Conference League.

Brighton are currently seventh, a point clear of Chelsea and on course for the Europa League as opposed to the Conference League.

CONFIRMED!

European allocation if Villa finish 5th in Premier League.

1. UCL
2. UCL
3. UCL
4. UCL
5. UCL (Villa as UEL titleholders)
6. UCL (EPS place)
7. UEL
8. UCoL

Six teams in the UCL, one club in the UEL.

Needs Villa to lose at Man City, and Liverpool to beat Brentford. pic.twitter.com/zlMp4c99ZJ

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonBBC) May 20, 2026

However, 10th place Sunderland can still make the Europa League if they beat Chelsea and Brighton lose to Manchester United on the final day.

Brighton can still make the Champions League in sixth spot if they beat United and Bournemouth suffer defeat to Nottingham Forest. The Seagulls would be level on points but with a better goal difference.

Crystal Palace are also in a European football, contesting the Conference League against Rayo Vallecano in Oliver Glasner's final game in charge.

A historic win in Leipzig will also seem qualify for the Europa League, a feat they managed in 2024/25 after the FA Cup - only to be demoted to the Conference League because they didn't meet UEFA's multi-club ownership rules.