Ups, downs and the race for Europe

Ups, downs and the race for Europe

Reuters/PA Media

Recent confirmed promotions, relegations, titles & qualifications

3 May – Leeds clinch Championship title

3 May: League One relegation for Luton and Plymouth.

Doncaster clinches League Two on May 3rd.

3 May – Bradford promoted to League One

Falkirk promoted to the Scottish Premiership on May 2.

Premier League

Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with Liverpool fans after winning the titleReuters

Liverpool clinched the Premier League title on 27 April with a 5-1 win over Tottenham at Anfield.

The top five teams are guaranteed qualification for the Champions League’s league phase, with Arsenal’s victory over Real Madrid on April 8 guaranteeing that England will be one of the two associations with the highest Uefa coefficients for 2024-25 and clinching a fifth place in addition to the usual four.

There are also places in the league phase reserved for the winners of this season’s Champions League and Europa League, regardless of their domestic league positions.

The sixth-placed Premier League team will qualify for the league phase of the Europa League, along with the FA Cup winners. If the FA Cup winners have already qualified for the Champions League, that Europa place reverts to the league.

Newcastle United‘s victory in the Carabao Cup final means that at worst they will qualify for the Conference League play-off round. However, that Conference League spot will revert to the league if they are unable to qualify for Europe due to their position in the league.

Chelsea will advance to the Europa League’s league phase if they win the Conference League but do not advance to the Champions League.

Women’s Super League

Chelsea celebrate after winning the  Women's Super LeaguePA Media
Chelsea defeated Manchester United 1-0 on April 30 to claim their sixth consecutive WSL title. They will enter the league phase of the Champions League, with the runners-up entering at the second round and the third-placed side in the first round.

Both Arsenal and Manchester United are close to sealing their Champions League spots.

Championship

Leeds United players celebrate after clinching the Championship titlePA Media

Leeds United and Burnley both clinched automatic promotion to the Premier League on 21 April when the Clarets beat Sheffield United 2-1. Leeds secured the title on the final day of the season with a 2-1 win at Plymouth.

Sheffield United, Sunderland, Coventry City and Bristol City will contest the play-offs for the third promotion place.

League One

 Birmingham City celebrate promotion after winning at PeterboroughPA Media
When Birmingham City won 2-1 at Peterborough on April 8th, it was the first time anyone in England’s top five divisions to advance. Four days later, Wrexham drew 0-0 at Wigan, Birmingham City won the title without conceding a kick. With a 3-0 win over Charlton, Waxham secured their second automatic promotion spot on April 26.

Stockport, Charlton, Wycombe and Leyton Orient will contest the play-offs for the third promotion place.

League Two

Robert Street celebrates after scoring for Doncaster against Notts CountyPA Media

Rovers of Doncaster and Port Vale were automatically promoted to League One on 26 April, as Rovers beat Bradford 2-1 and Vale won 2-0 at AFC Wimbledon. Doncaster secured the title with a 2-0 win at Notts County on the final day of the season, when Bradford City claimed the final automatic promotion place by beating Fleetwood 1-0.

Walsall, AFC Wimbledon, Notts County and Chesterfield will contest the play-offs for the final promotion place.

National League

With a game to go on April 26th, Barnet defeated Aldershot 4-0 to claim the title and the only automatic promotion spot.

The play-offs will feature teams from York City, Forest Green Rovers, Rochdale, Oldham, Halifax, and one more team (Southend or Gateshead, who meet on the final day of the season).

The bottom four teams will be relegated to National League North or South, and will be replaced with the champions and play-off winners of those two divisions.

After drawing 3-3 with Aldershot on March 22, Ebbsfleet United, who became the first team in England’s top five divisions to be relegated, and AFC Fylde, who lost 1-0 to Halifax, joined them on April 18 as they bid to relegate themselves. Between Maidenhead, Wealdstone, Dagenham &amp, Redbridge, and Braintree are the final two relegation places.

Scottish Premiership

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With a 5-0 victory over Dundee United on April 26, Celtic won the Premiership. Rangers will join the Champions League play-off round while Rangers will join the second qualifying round.

The Premiership has now split in half after 33 games – with each club playing the others in their ‘ half ‘ for a fourth and final time.

The third-placed Premiership team will enter the Europa League after the second qualifying round, while the fourth-placed team will enter the Conference League after the second qualifying round.

Aberdeen will advance to the Europa League in the play-off round if they win the Scottish Cup, regardless of their position in the league. If Celtic win the Cup, “their” Europa place reverts to the league and will go to the third-placed Premiership team, with the fourth-placed team entering at the second qualifying round and the fifth-placed team entering the Conference League at the second qualifying round.

Scottish Championship

Falkirk celebrate with the Championship trophyPA Media

Champions Falkirk are promoted to the Scottish Premiership, having secured the title on 2 May with a final-day 3-1 win over Hamilton.

The 11th-placed Premiership team will face off against Livingston, Ayr United, and Partick Thistle.

Bottom club Hamilton Academical were deducted 15 points on 17 April for a breach of SPFL rules, and their relegation to Scottish League One was confirmed two days later after a 0-0 draw with Queen’s Park. The Accies lost a subsequent appeal against the deduction.

Scottish League One

Andy Winter celebrates scoring for Arbroath against StranraerSNS

Arbroath were promoted to the Scottish Championship after beating Stranraer 4-0 on 12 April to clinch the title.

Play-offs will be held between Cove Rangers, Queen of the South, and Stenhousemuir against Championship side Airdrieonians, who are ninth-placed.

Bottom club Dumbarton are relegated to Scottish League Two. They became the first SPFL team to be relegated after drawing 0-0 with Queen of the South on 22 March.

Scottish League Two

Peterhead celebrate with the  League Two trophySNS

Peterhead clinched the title and automatic promotion to Scottish League One by beating East Fife 1-0 on 26 April.

East Fife, Edinburgh City and Elgin City will enter a play-off with ninth-placed League One side Annan.

Related topics

  • Hamilton Academical
  • Peterhead
  • Arbroath
  • League Two
  • Cardiff City
  • AFC Fylde
  • Falkirk
  • Port Vale
  • Rovers of Doncaster
  • Birmingham City
  • Cambridge United
  • Luton Town
  • Morecambe
  • Bristol Rovers
  • Burnley
  • Shrewsbury Town
  • Premier League
  • League One
  • Plymouth Argyle
  • Wrexham
  • Ebbsfleet United
  • Carlisle United
  • Championship
  • Crawley Town
  • Football
  • Barnet
  • Bradford City
  • National League
  • Dumbarton
  • Leeds United

Source: BBC

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