How FA Cup results could affect European qualification

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The FA Cup semi-finals take place at Wembley Stadium this weekend, and it's worth noting that the winners of this season's competition could impact how Premier League clubs qualify for Europe.

FA Cup semi-finals

26 Apr: Crystal Palace v Aston Villa (17:15 BST)

27 Apr: Nottingham Forest v Man City (16:30 BST)

Before we explain how, it's important to lay out exactly how clubs qualify for European competition.

UEFA Champions League

The top five teams in the Premier League will qualify for next season’s Champions League. Thanks to the performances of Premier League clubs in all of UEFA’s competitions this season, England is now guaranteed a top-two spot in UEFA's association club coefficient rankings, which earns a "European Performance Spot" (EPS).

It means the Premier League could potentially have as many as SIX clubs in next season's Champions League - the top five teams in the league, plus the Europa League winners if they finish outside the top five.

UEFA Europa League

English football receives two Europa League places.

One is awarded to the fifth-placed finisher in the Premier League (or the sixth-placed team in the case of England receiving an additional fifth Champions League spot). The other Europa League place goes to the winners of the FA Cup (more on that below).

UEFA Conference League

The winners of the EFL Cup qualify for the Conference League. This season, Newcastle United secured this spot when they triumphed over Liverpool at Wembley, ending their 56-year wait for a trophy in the process.

How else can clubs make it to Europe?

In addition to booking European berths by virtue of domestic performances, clubs can also do so through their showings in Europe.

The winners of the Champions League and Europa League qualify for the following season’s Champions League, while the winners of the Conference League book a spot in next year’s Europa League.

This is where the FA Cup results become important.

If the FA Cup winners qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League via their Premier League position, or by winning the Champions League (although it is impossible for a team to win the FA Cup AND Champions League this season), their (FA Cup-won) Europa League place is then transferred to the next-highest Premier League finisher not already qualified for UEFA competitions.

Likewise, if the EFL Cup winners qualify for the Champions League or Europa League via other means - their league position, or by winning the FA Cup or either of those European competitions - their Conference League place will go to the next-highest Premier League side who have not qualified for Europe. That is what Newcastle are hoping for, to finish high enough in the Premier League to trade their Conference League spot from winning the EFL Cup this season for a place in one of the other European competitions.

This all means there is a chance that European competitions will feature 10 English clubs next season. Here is one scenario where this could happen:

- Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Man City finish in the top five and qualify for the Champions League

- Aston Villa or Brighton finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League

- Bournemouth finish seventh and take the Conference League place passed down by EFL Cup winners Newcastle

- Chelsea finish eighth and qualify for the Europa League by winning this season’s Conference League

- Crystal Palace finish 10th and qualify for the Europa League by winning this season’s FA Cup

- Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur finish 11th and qualify for the Champions League by winning this season’s Europa League

Such an improbable outcome would mean SIX English clubs playing in next year’s Champions League, THREE in the Europa League, and ONE in the Conference League.

So, the remaining four sides in the FA Cup could aid the quest for 10 teams qualifying for Europe next season.

Forest, Man City and Villa are all in the race to qualify for the Champions League via their Premier League position. If any of those clubs were to achieve that AND win the FA Cup, their reward for the latter - a Europa League place - would be passed to the next-highest team that have not already qualified for Europe.

If Palace were to lift the FA Cup, and remain outside the top five, they would take the Europa League place awarded to the winning side at Wembley Stadium.

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