Newcastle’s 3-0 win at Leicester City on Monday evening saw them move up to fifth in the Premier League table with a game in hand on the teams around them.
Fifth place has historically been resevered for Europa League qualificiation but a UEFA rule change introduced last season will see fifth place in the Premier League this season qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The two nations with the highest UEFA coefficients for the 2024-25 campaign will each be handed an extra qualification spot. And Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday night mathematically guarantees England a top two UEFA coefficient for the 2024-25 campaign and an extra Champions League place as a result.
Huge Champions League boost for Newcastle United confirmed
Newcastle are already guaranteed European football next season with their Carabao Cup win securing at least Conference League qualification. However, Eddie Howe and his players have set their sights higher than that as they eye a Champions League return.
And fifth place being guaranteed Champions League qualification makes things that bit easier for The Magpies and indeed their rivals also fighting for Champions League qualification such as Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
It will be the first time an English club has qualified for the Champions League on league position alone after finishing fifth in the table.
England still have five teams left in European competitions this season with Arsenal and Aston Villa in the Champions League, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League and Chelsea in the Conference League.
And Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid handed England enough of a coefficient boost to guarantee a top-two spot with Italy now unable to catch them with only three teams left in European competitions, Inter Milan (Champions League), Lazio (Europa League) and Fiorentina (Conference League).
UEFA 2024-25 Coefficients
1. England, 24.536 – (5/7)
2. Spain, 21.678 – (4/7)
3. Italy, 20.187 – (3/8)
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Premier League could have seven teams in next season’s Champions League
While five English spots have now been guaranteed in next season’s Champions League, UEFA rules mean it is still possible for that number to extend to a record-breaking seven representatives.
In addition to the top five in the Premier League, an extra Champions League spot may also be handed out to the winners of the Europa League. If that’s Man United or Spurs – it will almost certainly guarantee a sixth club in the Champions League.
Then if Aston Villa were to finish out of the top five but win the Champions League, they would automatically qualify for next season’s competition – meaning up to seven English clubs could be competing.
If a club qualifies for the Champions League on league position and through winning a competition, no extra qualification spot is granted for that league.
Sixth place in the Premier League is now a guaranteed Europa League spot while a second Europa League spot is reserved for the FA Cup winners. Should the FA Cup winners have already qualified for the Europa League or Champions League, the Europa League qualification spot will drop to seventh.
The only Conference League spot in England is reserved for the winners of the Carabao Cup. But if Newcastle already qualify for the Europa League or Champions League, the Conference League place will be awarded to the next highest ranked side in the Premier League table.
Newcastle United’s accounts show £30m Champions League boost
Amongst all of the financial data posted by Newcastle United in their 2023-24 accounts, the club revealed that they banked £29.8m from their participation in last season’s Champions League – despite going out of the competition in the group stages. Matchday revenue, due largely due to their three Champions League home matches, also increased by 32% from the previous year to £50.1m – up from £37.9m.
And results over the course of the season have boosted Newcastle’s chances of a Champions League return as they currently sit level on points with fifth-placed Manchester City
