Liverpool and Newcastle United go head-to-head in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, aiming to win the first silverware of the 2024/25 season.
The result of the match at Wembley Stadium will also have an impact on how clubs qualify for European competition, because the winners of the EFL Cup are rewarded with a place in the playoff stage of the UEFA Conference League.
However, if the EFL Cup winners finish in the top five of the Premier League table, their Conference League playoff place will instead go to the next-highest ranked team who have not qualified for UEFA competition via their league position.
That is because a top-five league finish guarantees a team qualification for the Champions League or Europa League.
Who goes into each European competition?
UEFA Champions League
The top four teams in the Premier League qualify for the league phase of the Champions League.
The fifth-placed team could also get a UCL spot, depending on the collective success of the Premier League's clubs in Europe this season.
UEFA Europa League qualification
Two Europa League places are given to English clubs who fulfil the following criteria:
- The fifth-placed team in the Premier League qualify for the league phase (or the sixth-placed team if the top five clubs qualify for the Champions League).
- The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the league phase.
UEFA Conference League qualification
The EFL Cup winners qualify for the playoff stage of the Conference League.
Where these qualifications change
If the FA Cup winners have qualified for the Champions League via their Premier League position, or by winning the Champions League, their Europa League place will go to the next-highest ranked team who have not already qualified for UEFA competitions.
If the EFL Cup winners have qualified for the Champions League or Europa League via their Premier League position, or by winning either of those European competitions, their Conference League playoff place will go to the next-highest ranked team in the Premier League that have not already qualified for Europe.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
29 | +42 | 70 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
28 | +28 | 55 |
| 3 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
28 | +12 | 51 |
| 4 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
28 | +17 | 49 |
| 5 |
Man City
MCI
|
28 | +15 | 47 |
| 6 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
28 | +9 | 47 |
| 7 |
Brighton
BHA
|
28 | +6 | 46 |
| 8 |
Aston Villa
AVL
|
29 | -4 | 45 |
| 9 |
Bournemouth
BOU
|
28 | +13 | 44 |
| 10 |
Fulham
FUL
|
28 | +3 | 42 |
| 11 |
Crystal Palace
CRY
|
28 | +3 | 39 |
So what happens if Liverpool win the EFL Cup?
Liverpool look almost certain to finish in the top five of the Premier League, given they are 23 points clear of sixth place. They would mathematically guarantee a top-five finish with eight more points from their remaining nine matches.
Should Arne Slot's side win the EFL Cup and finish in the top five, their Conference League spot would go to the highest-placed Premier League team who do not qualify for the Champions League or Europa League.
That could even be the 11th-placed Premier League team, although that would require a very specific set of circumstances which we will outline below.
Crystal Palace currently occupy 11th place, although Brentford are only one point behind them.
What happens if Newcastle win the EFL Cup?
Newcastle would have a Conference League spot in the bank.
However, they will be hoping to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League through their league position.
If Eddie Howe's men were to achieve either feat after also winning the EFL Cup, their reward for the latter - their Conference League spot - would be passed to the next-highest ranked team in the Premier League that have not already qualified for Europe.
As with the Liverpool scenario above, that team could potentially finish as low as 11th.
How could 11th-placed team qualify?
This is an example of a scenario that would lead to the 11th-placed team earning a Conference League place:
- Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Man City all qualify for the Champions League as the top four teams
- Newcastle qualify for the Champions League in fifth, with UEFA awarding an extra place for English clubs' performances in Europe this season
- Brighton & Hove Albion qualify for the Europa League by finishing sixth
- Bournemouth finish seventh and qualify for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup
- Chelsea finish eighth and qualify for the Europa League by winning the Conference League
- Aston Villa finish ninth and qualify for the Champions League by winning that competition this season
- Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur finish 10th and qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League
In the example above, the Conference League place earned by Liverpool or Newcastle for winning the EFL Cup could not be allocated to any of the top 10 teams, as they would all have qualified for another European competition.
It would therefore go to the team in the next-highest Premier League position: 11th.