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Why it Matters to Man Utd, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool That English Clubs are Struggling in Champions League
An extra place in next season’s Champions League that appeared destined to go to the Premier League suddenly appears a little bit more vulnerable after a chastening week.
Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were all heavily beaten in the first legs of the Champions League round of 16 and need miracles to avoid elimination. Liverpool trail by a single goal in their tie, while Arsenal and Newcastle United are level in theirs.
The eventual consequence could be falling far enough down UEFA’s club coefficient rankings so that only the Premier League’s top four will get into the 2026–27 Champions League.
In addition to the usual four Champions League qualifying berths, the Premier League benefited from a European Performance Spot (EPS) in 2024–25, awarded by UEFA to the two best-performing domestic leagues in its continental competitions each year.
That meant Newcastle got into the 2025–26 edition from fifth place.
Overall, with Tottenham’s Europa League triumph also serving as a qualification route, England has had six Champions League entrants this season, with nine in total across all UEFA competitions including those also in the Europa League and Conference League.
This season, with Arsenal and Manchester City fairly safe in the top two, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool are fighting for the rest of the qualifying berths. If England gets five Champions League places, only one has to miss out. If it’s just four, then two will.
How are European Performance Spots Awarded?
To receive an EPS, brought in when the Champions League expanded to 36 teams, a domestic league must finish in the top two of the annual UEFA club coefficient rankings. Result in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League equate to points, with bonuses for progressing through the rounds—the bonuses are greater in the Champions League.
It’s two points for a win, one for a draw, and 1.5, 1.0 and 0.5 progression bonuses in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League respectively.
The overall tally is then divided by the number of clubs. In England’s case this season, by nine.
UEFA Club Coefficient Rankings
Rank | Country/League | Avg. Points |
|---|---|---|
1 | England | 22.513 |
2 | Spain | 18.031 |
3 | Germany | 18.000 |
4 | Italy | 17.357 |
5 | Portugal | 16.600 |
6 | France | 15.250 |
7 | Poland | 15.250 |
8 | Greece | 12.900 |
9 | Cyprus | 11.906 |
10 | Denmark | 11.750 |
With all nine clubs through to the knockout phase of their respective competitions—including Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the Europa League, and Crystal Palace in the Conference League—it has given the Premier League a strong chance of another EPS.
But although it has almost been taken for granted for a while that would be the case, the tough week in the Champions League, with half the teams staring almost certain elimination in the face and none of the other three in a winning position ahead of leg two, could change things.
The Premier League is top of the current standings and every other leading nation has had fewer entrants and at least one club knocked out. But if their teams keep winning and keep progressing, and the English ones don’t, it raises the possibility of being caught up.
The primary danger is Spanish and German clubs outperforming their English counterparts—fueled by Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Italy is unlikely to be a threat, with Atalanta on the brink of Champions League elimination and Bologna and Roma facing each other in the Europa League.
Remaining Clubs in European Competitions
England | Spain | Germany | Italy |
|---|---|---|---|
Arsenal (C) | Atlético Madrid (C) | Bayer Leverkusen (C) | Atalanta (C) |
Chelsea (C) | Barcelona (C) | Bayern Munich (C) | Bologna (E) |
Liverpool (C) | Real Madrid (C) | Freiburg (E) | Roma (E) |
Man City (C) | Celta Vigo (E) | Stuttgart (E) | Fiorentina (Co) |
Newcastle (C) | Real Betis (E) | Mainz (Co) | - |
Tottenham (C) | Rayo Vallecano (Co) | - | - |
Aston Villa (E) | - | - | - |
N'ham Forest (E) | - | - | - |
Crystal Palace (Co) | - | - | - |
Champions League (C), Europa League (E), Conference League (Co)
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Jamie Spencer is a freelance editor and writer for Sports Illustrated FC. Jamie fell in love with football in the mid-90s and specializes in the Premier League, Manchester United, the women’s game and old school nostalgia.