Saturday 7 May 2016 12:30, UK
Who will go into the Champions League and Europa League group stages? Who faces qualifying for those competitions?
With the season reaching its climax, a complicated pattern of potential outcomes means domestic and European results will have a major effect on a number of Premier League clubs and their fixture list in 2016/17.
Here, we explain the permutations…
Methods of qualifying for the Champions League and Europa League
There are several ways Premier League teams can qualify for the Champions League and Europa League.
- League position - Winners will be seeded in the Champions League group stage. Second and third also make the group stages. Fourth will qualify for Champions League play-off round.
- Champions League win - guarantees a place in the group stage of the Champions League for the following season.
- Europa League win - guarantees a place in the Champions League group stage for the following season.
- FA Cup win - guarantees a Europa League group stage spot.
- League Cup win - guarantees a Europa League third-qualifying round spot.
Who has already qualified for European competition next season?
Leicester City have won the Premier League, meaning they will be one of the top eight seeds in the group stage of next season's Champions League.
Tottenham are guaranteed a top-four finish and a place in at least the Champions League play-offs.
Manchester City won the Capital One Cup - that guarantees them at least a spot in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
How has the Capital One Cup affected Premier League teams and their European qualification?
Manchester City are guaranteed a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League for winning the Capital One Cup. Should City secure Champions League or Europa League group stage football through their league position, their place in the Europa League third qualifying round will be passed on to the next highest finisher in the Premier League who has not qualified for Europe.
How will the FA Cup affect teams?
The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the 2016/17 Europa League group stage - unless they have already qualified for Europe through other means.
That means that while Crystal Palace would take up that place if victorious at Wembley, Manchester United - should they secure European football with their league position - could win the cup and pass on a European spot to the next highest finisher in the Premier League who has not qualified for Europe.
How will the Europa League affect teams?
The winner of the Europa League is now automatically entered into the group phase of the following season's Champions League.
However, should Liverpool win the Europa League and finish in the Europa League qualifying spots in the Premier League, this does not mean the third Europa League place will become available for someone else. Instead, the Premier League will have five teams in next season's Champions League and two in next season's Europa League, instead of the usual four-three allocation.
What does that mean for qualification via league positions?
Those permutations mean a series of knock-on events could see seventh place in the Premier League awarded with a Europa League qualifying spot.
Premier League winners:
Will qualify for the Champions League group stage and be seeded
Runners-up:
Will qualify for the Champions League group stage
Third:
Will qualify for the Champions League group stage
Fourth:
Will qualify for the Champions League play-off
Fifth:
Will qualify for the Europa League group stage
Sixth:
Will qualify for Europa League third qualifying round if Man City finish in top four
Seventh:
Will qualify for Europa League qualifiers if Manchester United win the FA Cup and finish in the top six and Man City finish in the top five
