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The race for European places in the Premier League has taken a new turn, with a scenario that could see the team finishing sixth qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.
Under the current structure for the 2025/26 campaign, five English clubs are already guaranteed places in Europe’s top competition.
That shift follows UEFA’s revised format, which expands the Champions League and rewards leagues with strong performances across European competitions.
As a result, finishing in the top five in the Premier League is now enough to secure qualification for the Champions League.
However, developments around the European Performance Spot (EPS) have created a pathway that could extend that benefit further down the table.
If certain conditions are met, the team that finishes sixth could also gain entry into the Champions League, adding more weight to the race for European places.
England will receive an extra Champions League place through UEFA’s coefficient ranking, which rewards leagues whose clubs perform well across European competitions.
This means the top five teams in the Premier League will qualify automatically for the Champions League, instead of the usual four.
The change reflects the strong performances of English clubs in both the Champions League and the Europa League in recent seasons.
The additional place is referred to as a European Performance Spot (EPS). It is awarded to leagues with the best collective results in UEFA competitions over the season.
For England, this ensures that fifth place in the Premier League will now carry a Champions League slot.
However, the EPS can create a knock-on effect depending on outcomes in other competitions.
A sixth Champions League place becomes possible if a specific condition is met.
If Aston Villa win the UEFA Europa League and also finish fifth in the Premier League, they would qualify for the Champions League twice, once as Europa League winners and once through their league position.
In that case, the EPS allocated to the league would be passed down to the sixth-placed team.
This would allow the side finishing sixth to enter the Champions League, expanding England’s representation to six clubs.
Such a scenario would affect qualification for the Europa League.
Currently, the sixth-placed team qualifies for the Europa League through the league. But if that team moves into the Champions League, the Europa League slot linked to sixth place would be lost and reallocated to another European league.
Domestic cup competitions would then determine which English teams fill the remaining Europa League and Conference League places.
The possibility of a Champions League place has increased the importance of the race for sixth position.
Only eight points separate the teams placed between sixth and 14th, leaving several clubs in contention with a few matches remaining.
Brighton & Hove Albion moved into sixth place after a 3-0 win over Chelsea and held onto the position following AFC Bournemouth’s 2-2 draw with Leeds United.
Teams such as Newcastle United, West Ham United, and others remain within reach, keeping the race open.
Upcoming matches between teams in the top half of the table could shape the outcome.
Clubs competing for sixth will face direct rivals in the closing weeks, while also balancing pressure from teams just below them in the standings.
Consistency in results may prove decisive, especially with goal difference and head-to-head records also playing a role in final positions.
UEFA’s new format for the Champions League, which expands the competition to 36 teams, has created more entry routes for top-performing leagues.
The EPS is part of that expansion, aimed at rewarding leagues with strong overall performances rather than just domestic standings.
For Premier League clubs, this adds another layer to the end-of-season run-in, where finishing positions beyond the top four now carry greater significance.
For teams like Brighton and Bournemouth, the possibility of Champions League football represents a major opportunity.
Qualification would bring financial benefits, increased visibility, and the chance to compete at the highest level in European club football.
With several clubs still in contention, the fight for sixth place could be as decisive as the title race and the battle for the top five.
As the season enters its final stretch, the outcome of both domestic and European competitions will determine whether sixth place becomes a gateway to the Champions League.
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