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How sixth position in the Premier League could still lead to Champions League qualification
21st April, 2026 07:58 PM
A new pathway into Europe’s top-tier club tournament could open up for teams finishing sixth in the Premier League, adding even more drama to the race for continental football places.
It has already been confirmed that five English sides will earn places in the next UEFA Champions League based on their league standings at the end of the 2025/26 campaign. However, under certain circumstances, the team finishing sixth could also secure entry into the competition.
This possibility makes the clash between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, particularly significant. Should Brighton win that encounter, they would move ahead of Chelsea into sixth place, strengthening their hopes of benefiting from this unusual qualification route.
What needs to happen for sixth to qualify
For the sixth-placed side to gain entry into the Champions League, Aston Villa must lift the UEFA Europa League trophy while ending the domestic season in fifth position.
This scenario revolves around the European Performance Spot (EPS), which is awarded to leagues whose clubs perform strongly in European competitions during the season. England has earned such a place this year due to the impressive results of its teams across European tournaments.
At present, Villa occupy fourth place in the league and have advanced to the Europa League semi-finals, where they are scheduled to face Nottingham Forest.
If Villa end the season in fifth while also winning the Europa League, they would qualify for the Champions League through their European triumph. In that case, the EPS allocated to fifth place would instead be transferred to the team finishing sixth.
However, this outcome would also mean the Premier League loses one Europa League qualification place from its league standings, with that slot instead being awarded to a club from another country.
Tight battle for sixth place
Competition for sixth position is shaping up to be extremely intense. Only six points separate Chelsea, currently sitting in sixth, from Newcastle United, who are placed 14th.
Historically, such a narrow gap at this stage of the season is rare. The only time the points difference between sixth and 14th was smaller on April 21, 2026, occurred during the league’s inaugural 1992/93 season, when just five points separated the teams.
Meanwhile, the difference between fifth and sixth remains more substantial, with Liverpool holding a seven-point advantage over Chelsea.
With several clubs still within touching distance of sixth place, the battle for European qualification promises to remain unpredictable until the final rounds of the season. If results align in Villa’s favour both domestically and in Europe, finishing sixth could unexpectedly become a golden ticket to the Champions League.
As it stands, Liverpool, Manchester United or even Aston Villa can finish third as the title race narrows down between Arsenal and Manchester City.
