Everton are among the nine Premier League clubs are still in the race for European football, with Champions League, Europa League and Conference League spots all up for grabs
Everton can still qualify for the Champions League, but there are caveats.
Everton can still qualify for the Champions League, but there are caveats.(Image: GSI/Icon Sport via Getty Images)
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The battle for European football is intensifying, with Everton among the nine Premier League clubs still harbouring hopes of securing a place in continental competition next season. Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United have already sealed their places in next season's Champions League, yet coveted spots remain available across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
Aston Villa's remarkable run to the Europa League final will have been welcomed by a number of top-flight clubs, given the knock-on effect it could have on the number of sides qualifying for the Champions League next season. Should Unai Emery's side maintain their current fifth-place Premier League standing and clinch the Europa League, the team finishing sixth in the top flight would also secure Champions League football, which the Toffees could benefit from.
This could see the likes of Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford competing in the Champions League for the very first time in their histories. However, should Villa triumph in the Europa League while finishing above Liverpool in fourth, only five clubs would earn Champions League qualification.
With so much still to play for, the Liverpool Echo has examined the various permutations for those clubs still in contention for a place in European football next season.
Who can qualify for Europe?
Nine sides still harbour hopes of securing a place in European football next season. Aston Villa, Liverpool, Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham and Sunderland all remain in mathematical contention for one of the European competitions. Though the Toffees would need to win both of their games at home to Sunderland and away to Tottenham, and hope results go their way in order to qualify for the Champions League.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 10: David Moyes, manager of Everton looks on during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Everton at Selhurst Park on May 10, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
David Moyes looks on after his Everton side were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace(Image: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
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As it stands, the top five teams in the Premier League will earn Champions League spots, with two Europa League qualifying places also up for grabs. The side finishing sixth and the FA Cup winners will both secure places in that competition.
A Conference League berth is also on offer for the Carabao Cup winners, however Manchester City have already secured their place in the top competition, meaning they have forfeited their Conference League spot. That place will instead be handed to the highest-placed Premier League side who have not qualified for European football — currently the team sitting seventh in the table.
Should Chelsea win the FA Cup, the Blues — currently ninth in the Premier League — will clinch a Europa League place. However, if they also finish sixth, then seventh place would additionally qualify for the Europa League, with eighth place earning a Conference League berth.
A similar scenario would unfold if Manchester City were to lift the FA Cup. Sixth and seventh would both qualify for the Europa League, while the team finishing eighth would secure a place in the Conference League. If Crystal Palace triumph in the Conference League, they would secure a place in the Europa League next season, regardless of what happens elsewhere.
The Premier League table
The Premier League table is incredibly tight as the race to qualify for European places goes down to the wire(Image: Google)
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This is where matters become intriguing. Should Aston Villa claim the Europa League while finishing third or fourth, the top five would progress to the Champions League, with the sixth-placed side entering the Europa League and seventh securing Conference League football, before considering the impact of the FA Cup winner.
Should Emery's team finish fifth and lift the Europa League trophy, an additional Champions League berth would be awarded to the sixth-placed club, with the Premier League forfeiting its Europa League place for this position.
If the Villans finish sixth, the top five sides would qualify for the Champions League, alongside Villa for their Europa League success, though the Premier League would surrender its Europa League spot for league position in this instance.
In either of the final two scenarios, should Chelsea claim FA Cup glory but find themselves outside the qualification places, they would claim the sole remaining Europa League berth.
Should Man City lift the FA Cup, that Europa League qualifying place will pass to the seventh-placed club. The Premier League could feature as many as nine sides competing in Europe next season.
With six places in the Champions League, two in the Europa League and one in the Conference League.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 10: Beto of Everton celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Everton at Selhurst Park on May 10, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Beto of Everton celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match at Crystal Palace(Image: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
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Final day dilemma
As if the situation weren't complicated enough, there's also the possibility that Brighton or Brentford might prefer to lose on the final day of the season in order to secure their place in Champions League football. Brentford's last fixture of the season is against Liverpool, and a victory for the Reds could help them finish above Villa, pushing Emery's side into fifth place.
Brighton, currently sitting in sixth, face Manchester United on the final day of the season, and should Michael Carrick's side see Liverpool and Villa close the gap before then, the Seagulls would also stand to gain from United finishing above Villa.
The Europa League final is scheduled for the Wednesday of the weekend before the season concludes, meaning the Champions League qualification picture should become considerably clearer. Should Villa claim victory, it would be firmly in both Brentford and Brighton's interests to ensure Emery's side finish fifth, thereby opening up an additional Champions League spot.