Published On 2/5/2026
The Premier League title race in the final four rounds of the 2025-26 season promises great excitement, as does the intense struggle to avoid relegation.
As for the teams standing in the middle region of the table, they still have a tempting goal of securing a qualification ticket to the European Championships.
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The Athletic website reported that seven clubs, most of them unexpected names, are locked in a heated struggle for seats in the three UEFA competitions, with the possibility of a surprise ticket to the Champions League for the second season in a row, as those in the top five places will qualify for the Champions League, but sixth place may also be enough this time, if Aston Villa wins the European League and finishes in fifth place, which grants an additional card according to the European performance system.
The European League and European Conference League cards also remain a subject of competition, especially since the difference between sixth and twelfth place does not exceed only four points, and then the chances of the seven clubs competing for cards in the European competitions.
Sixth place: Brighton (50 points)
Brighton stand just behind the top five and their positions appear all but settled, with only their standings still in contention, as the club bids for a fourth top-half finish in five seasons. Brighton is a model of stability amidst the fluctuations that characterize the Premier League, and its recent strong results have put it in an ideal position to reap a tangible reward.
Qualifying for the Champions League would represent a new horizon for a club that was playing in the English third division in 2011. Participation in the league stage of the tournament could generate more than $54.6 million from UEFA, with the possibility of higher returns depending on the results. The six English clubs participating in the 2025-2026 edition received no less than $76.4 million in prizes alone.
Reaching the Champions League or even the new version of the Europa League will ensure clear financial growth, and enhance the club’s ability to attract and retain talent. This may not be a completely radical shift, but it is certainly a giant step in the club’s journey.
Seventh place: Bournemouth (49 points)
Bournemouth is undoubtedly experiencing its best historical period, after last season it recorded its best position (ninth), and now it aspires to write a new chapter, with coach Andoni Iraola on the verge of leaving the team after three seasons.
The club has never qualified for European competitions, and any participation would be a qualitative leap, whether on a sporting or financial level. The club depends only 3.3% of its revenues on match revenues, due to the small size of its stadium (11,000 spectators), which makes European Union funds a major boost to it.
Although UEFA’s distributions depend partly on European history, which may reduce Bournemouth’s share compared to others, even the minimum returns would be unprecedented for the club. Qualifying for the Champions League could guarantee him at least $54.6 million, or about 20% of his total annual income, and three times what he earned when he ascended to the Premier League for the first time.
This will also be followed by a commercial leap, which reduces the impact of the small stadium, and may place the club among the 30 richest clubs in the world.
Eighth place: Chelsea (48 points)
If there is a club that desperately needs to qualify for the Champions League, it is undoubtedly Chelsea. A series of disastrous results led to the disappearance of his hopes of finishing the season in the top five, despite reaching the final eighth this season.
The club is suffering financially, and relies heavily on Champions League revenues, as it has earned about $109 million from its current participation. The absence of this amount from next season’s budget will constitute a huge gap for a club struggling to keep up with the top league.
Winning the FA Cup against Manchester City may open the door to the Europa League, but its returns are much lower. Even the champions of the tournament, such as Tottenham, only earned about $49 million, while conference league revenues did not exceed $26 million for Chelsea last season.
Although all clubs benefit from Europe, this is doubly important for Chelsea, with additional revenues from marketing and matches, as it generates about 3.2 million pounds for each match at its home stadium.
Ninth place: Brentford (48 points)
Brentford’s story is not very different from Bournemouth’s: a rising club with limited capabilities, achieving results beyond expectations. Despite his recent decline, he is still able to catch up with Brighton.
The club’s revenue was $236 million, mostly from broadcast rights, making any additional income from Europe directly impactful. An example is Nottingham Forest, which earned about $27 million from reaching the UEFA semi-finals.
Tenth place: Fulham (48 points)
Fulham is no stranger to playing in Europe, having reached the Europa League final in 2010 under the leadership of Roy Hodgson, but the financial returns today have become much greater.
His recent victory over Aston Villa gave him hope, and achieving three wins may be enough to qualify. The club needs a financial boost after its revenues stabilized at $246 million in the last two seasons.
Eleventh place: Everton (47 points)
Everton has witnessed profound transformations since its last appearance on the European scene in the 2017-2018 season, as the club moved from a stage of financial turmoil and strict restrictions to a more stable situation, supported by a long-term strategic project led by its new Hill Dickinson stadium, which was designed to be a platform to host major European nights that will restore the club’s continental luster.
Qualifying for one of the European Union championships represents a golden opportunity for Everton, not only on the sporting level, but also economically. Adding a number of European home matches in a stadium that can accommodate more than 50,000 spectators will push matchday revenues to unprecedented levels, as well as enhancing commercial revenues thanks to continental exposure and increasing the club’s marketing appeal.
Twelfth place.. Sunderland (46 points)
Despite the harsh loss they suffered recently, Sunderland still clings to the thread of hope in the European qualification race, which in itself is an achievement for a club that returned to the top flight less than a year ago. The small difference in points keeps him within the competition as the season approaches its end.
For the Black Cats fans, reserving a European seat this season may be more symbolic than achieving promotion to the Premier League, confirming that the club is moving steadily towards regaining its position among the big leagues.
