By defeating Liverpool 2-1 in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, Newcastle United not only secured their first trophy since 1969, but they’ve also earned a place in the Europa Conference League. Given their place in the Premier League, the Magpies have a chance at qualifying for the Europa League or Champions League directly. Due to the European coefficient, the Premier League could end up sending five teams to the Champions League next season instead of four, but even if they only send four, Newcastle are one point out of fifth place where they’d, as of now, directly qualify for the Europa League group stage.
If the Magpies end up in UCL or EL play directly, it would shift the qualification for competitions further down the league since Liverpool have already qualified for Europa League play next season and are close to qualifying for Champions League play. If the winner of the EFL Cup finishes in the top five, then their Conference League playoff place will go to the next highest-finishing team to not have earned a place in a UEFA competition based on their league position.
Who goes into each competition?
- Champions League: The top four teams in the Premier League will qualify for the UCL league phase. The fifth-place team could also end up qualifying for the league phase based on how Premier League clubs perform in Europe.
- Europa League: The FA Cup winners and fifth-place team in the Premier League (sixth-placed team if five teams make UCL) both qualify for the league phase of Europa League play. Like the Conference League place, if the FA Cup winner has already clinched a European spot via the league, this will also slide down the table to the next highest-finishing team like the conference league spot.
- Europa Conferece League: The EFL Cup winners qualify for the playoff phase.
Current Premier League table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 29 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 69 | 27 | +42 | 70 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 29 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 53 | 24 | +29 | 58 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | 29 | 16 | 6 | 7 | 49 | 35 | +14 | 54 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 29 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 53 | 37 | +16 | 49 |
| 5 | Manchester City | 29 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 55 | 40 | +15 | 48 |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 28 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 47 |
| 7 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 29 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 48 | 42 | +6 | 47 |
| 8 | Fulham | 29 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 43 | 38 | +5 | 45 |
| 9 | Aston Villa | 29 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 41 | 45 | -4 | 45 |
| 10 | Bournemouth | 29 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 48 | 36 | +12 | 44 |
| 11 | Brentford | 29 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 41 |
Depending on what happens, a team finishing as low as 11th place could qualify for Europe next season. Newcastle have already qualified for the Conference League and could make their way into other European competitions. With Aston Villa, Brighton, Fulham, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth all are in the running for the FA Cup title, while also being in the mix for Champions League and Europa League positions, there’s plenty left to be decided.
Manchester United and Tottenham also have a chance to finish in the top 10, while winning the Europa League would book a place in the Champions League next season. Aston Villa also still have a chance to win the Champions League as well. If both of those things happen, along with Chelsea winning the Europa Conference League while finishing eighth, there’s a chance that other circumstances could push a Conference League place to 11th, currently occupied by Brentford.
It would take a lot for this to happen but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. In a season where Newcastle have ended their trophy drought and Nottingham Forest are on course for Champions League soccer, anything can happen.
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