Which Premier League sides could qualify for European football? Permutations explained
There is plenty to play for on the final day of the 2024/25 campaign...
The battle for European football takes centre stage on the final day of the 2024/25 Premier League season.
Liverpool clinched the title at the end of April while the fate of the three relegated sides – Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City – has been clear for months, which leaves the race for Europe as the final piece of the puzzle.
This season, the top five teams in the Premier League will earn a Champions League place while as many as 10 top flight clubs could be playing continental football next term.
Premier League champions Liverpool, Arsenal and Europa League winners Tottenham have already qualified for the 2025/26 Champions League, and three more teams will join them on the final day.
Crystal Palace's historic FA Cup triumph means they will be playing Europa League football in 2025/26 while Manchester City, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are all guaranteed a European place – though it remains to be seen which competition they will be playing in.
RadioTimes.com breaks down which Premier League sides could qualify for European football and looks at all the permutations on the final day of the 2024/25 campaign.
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Which Premier League sides could qualify for European football?
Man City (3rd) 68 pts, +26 GD
Man City will start the final day in third place.
A win would guarantee their place in the League Phase of the Champions League, while their far superior goal difference over sixth-place Aston Villa means, realistically, a point would be enough to finish in the top five.
Pep Guardiola's side could even qualify if they lose – as long as two of Newcastle, Villa and Chelsea fail to win.
Newcastle (4th) 66 pts, +22 GD
Newcastle will start Sunday fourth and have a significant goal difference advantage over sixth-place Aston Villa, which means a win against Everton at St James' Park would guarantee them a Champions League spot.
A draw would be enough for the Tynesiders, as long as Chelsea and Nottingham Forest draw or Villa fail to beat Man Utd.
The Mags can also sneak in if they're beaten but would need Villa to lose at Old Trafford.
Chelsea (5th) 66 pts, +20 GD
Like Newcastle and Man City, Chelsea's points difference advantage over sixth-place Aston Villa means a win against fellow European hopefuls Nottingham Forest should be enough to guarantee a place in the Champions League.
They can also qualify with a draw at the City Ground as long as Villa fail to beat Man Utd or Newcastle are beaten by Everton.
If the Blues are beaten by Forest, they'll need Villa to suffer defeat at Old Trafford and Newcastle to lose by four more goals than Enzo Maresca's side are beaten by.
Aston Villa (6th) 66 pts, +9 GD
Aston Villa are level on points with the two teams above them but their goal difference means that, realistically, their fate is out of their hands.
Unai Emery's side need to beat Man Utd and hope that Chelsea or Newcastle fail to win or Man City are beaten by Fulham.
A draw would mean they qualify for the Champions League if Newcastle lose to Everton.
Finishing sixth is likely to mean they're playing in the Europa League next term while seventh place should see them in the Conference League. If Newcastle finish inside the top five while Chelsea finish sixth and win the Europa League, seventh place will qualify for the Europa League.
Nottingham Forest (7th) 65 pts, +13 GD
It has been a remarkable season from a Nottingham Forest perspective but they're seventh, on the outside looking in.
They need to beat the Blues and hope that either Newcastle fail to beat Everton or Aston Villa drop points against Man Utd.
Finishing sixth is likely to mean they're playing in the Europa League next term while seventh place should see them in the Conference League. If Newcastle finish inside the top five while Chelsea finish sixth and win the Europa League, seventh place will qualify for the Europa League.
Brighton (8th) 58 pts, +4 GD
Brighton only need a point against Tottenham on the final day to clinch eighth place, which could deliver a Conference League spot, but this is where it gets complicated.
For eighth place to qualify for Europe, they'll need Chelsea to win the Conference League and finish seventh or for the Blues to win the Conference League and finish sixth, with Newcastle in seventh.
Brentford (9th) 55 pts, +9 GD
To pinch eighth place, Brentford have to beat Wolves and hope Brighton lose at Spurs.
For eighth place to qualify for Europe, they'll need Chelsea to win the Conference League and finish seventh or for the Blues to win the Conference League and finish sixth, with Newcastle in seventh.
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