How FA Cup final will decide European fate of Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United

The 2023/24 Premier League campaign ended on Sunday but only five of England’s seven places in Europe for next season have been conclusively filled.

Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa have all qualified for the newly-formatted UEFA Champions League after finishing in the top four.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur will enter next season’s UEFA Europa League in the group stage as a result of coming fifth.

The rest is far less certain and will depend on the result of next weekend’s FA Cup final between Manchester United and Man City.

United finished eighth in the Premier League and can therefore only qualify for Europe by winning the FA Cup.

If United beat City at Wembley then Erik ten Hag’s side will join Spurs in next season’s Europa League.

That would be bad news for Newcastle, who finished seventh on Sunday.

Newcastle will qualify for next season’s UEFA Europa Conference League only if City beat United in the final.

After finishing sixth, Chelsea are sure to be in Europe next season.

Chelsea will be in the Europa League if City lift the FA Cup, but it will be Conference League football for the Stamford Bridge outfit if United win at Wembley.

While the Europa League is much more prestigious than the Conference League, some Chelsea fans may secretly be hoping to see their side in the latter.

Not only is the Conference League easier to win, but Chelsea have already won the Champions League (2012 and 2021) and Europa League (2013 and 2019).

Therefore, playing in Europe’s third-ranked competition next season would give Chelsea the chance to become the first club ever to complete the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League treble.

Which English clubs will play in Europe next season (2024/25)?

• Manchester City – guaranteed place in Champions League
• Arsenal – guaranteed place in Champions League
• Liverpool – guaranteed place in Champions League
• Aston Villa – guaranteed place in Champions League
• Tottenham – guaranteed place in Europa League
• Chelsea – Europa League if Man City win FA Cup, Conference League if Man United win FA Cup
• Manchester United – Europa League if they win FA Cup
• Newcastle – Conference League if Man City win FA Cup