English clubs have an impressive record in European competitions over the past decade and six Premier League teams will battle for the continent’s top prize this season: the Champions League.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City have all lifted the trophy in recent campaigns, with two all-English finals in the space of three years between 2021 and 2023. Only Spain boasts more European Cup/Champions League winners and that comes down to the immense success of competition darlings and record victors Real Madrid.
English teams will once again be fiercely contesting the Champions League in 2025–26 and they have numbers on their side. No nation has more representatives in this year’s competition, boosting the odds of another Premier League winner.
But why are there six English clubs in this term’s Champions League? Let’s take a closer look.
Which Premier League Teams Are in the 2025–26 Champions League?
Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City have established themselves as Champions League certainties over the past few years such has been their impressive domestic performances. The trio will all enter this term’s competition, with Arsenal aiming to win the trophy for the first time after reaching last year’s semifinal.
Chelsea make their return to the competition this season after winning the Europa Conference League last term, and the Blues will be keen to be crowned European champions as well as world champions.
Newcastle United will feature in the Champions League for the second time in three seasons as they continue their ascent, while Tottenham Hotspur will also make their comeback having been missing since 2022–23.
Why Are There Six English Teams in the 2025–26 Champions League?
The Premier League’s top four are always guaranteed to qualify for the Champions League league phase directly, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea finishing in that order last term. The Blues required victory on the final day to ensure their place in the competition but managed a crucial 1–0 win over fellow European hopefuls Nottingham Forest.
Newcastle finished fifth in the Premier League but still secured a Champions League berth, earning one of the competition’s European Performance Spots (EPS). The EPS are awarded to the football associations with the highest coefficient come the end of the season’s UEFA competitions (2024–25 in the case of the Magpies). They have qualified directly for the league phase thanks to the displays of English sides on the continent last term.
Tottenham qualified for the 2025–26 Champions League despite finishing 17th in the English top flight due to winning the Europa League. Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought by beating Manchester United 1–0 in the final, securing their place in the Champions League and UEFA Super Cup—they lost the latter to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.
When Does the 2025–26 League Phase Begin?
All six Premier League clubs will discover their eight league phase opponents on August 28 when the draw is conducted in Monaco. They will face two sides from each of the four pots and cannot face any other Premier League clubs.
The league phase begins on the week commencing September 15 and concludes on January 28, 2026.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why There Are Six Premier League Teams in 2025-26 Champions League.