MY ACCOUNT
The Premier League could make history with EIGHT teams potentially qualifying for European competitions next season.
With English sides in with a shot of winning the Champions League, Europa League and newly-formed Conference League, there are plenty of possible outcomes still on the cards.
We have cast an eye over the possible permutations as we enter the business end of another exciting campaign.
How many Premier League teams can qualify for the Champions League?
As always, the teams that finish in the Premier League’s top four will automatically qualify for the group stage of the Champions League.
The winners of the Europa League are also rewarded with Champions League qualification, so if West Ham manage to clinch their first continental title in 42 years, five English teams will appear in next season’s elite competition.
The Hammers reached the semi-finals of the Europa League by beating French outfit Lyon 4-1 on aggregate and face Eintracht Frankfurt this week, while reigning Scottish champions Rangers take on RB Leipzig in the other semi-final.
How many Premier League teams can qualify for the Europa League?
The teams that finish fifth and sixth in the Premier League will qualify for the Europa League group stages.
The winners of the Europa Conference League are also handed a spot in the Europa League for the following season, meaning that semi-finalists Leicester can potentially be the third team representing England in the competition.
The Foxes currently sit 10th in the Premier League and are some distance away from the top seven, meaning that an extra European spot will be awarded to them if they win the Conference League, with nothing being taken away from the teams above.
How many Premier League teams can qualify for the Europa Conference League?
The team that finishes seventh in the Premier League automatically qualifies for the Europa Conference League.
However, there may not be English representation in the third-tier competition at all next season if Leicester become its first-ever winners and West Ham win the Europa League.
The Hammers currently sit 7th in the Premier League, so they will qualify for the Conference League if they are to finish in this position and their Europa League journey comes to a disappointing end.
FA Cup winners
Fortunately for the team that finishes sixth — currently Manchester United — Europa League qualification is now guaranteed as Crystal Palace were knocked out of the FA Cup by Chelsea.
If Palace had have gone to provide a shock by lifting the Cup, they would have qualified for the Europa League in place of the team in sixth, who would have been handed Europa Conference League qualification instead.
Likely scenario
It is likely that seven English teams will appear in Europe next season if Leicester and West Ham emerge victorious in their respective European runs.
But in the unlikely event that the Hammers finish below seventh but win the Europa League — and Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes triumph in the Conference League — we will see eight English teams compete in Europe for the first time ever in the 2022-23 campaign.
