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Champions League and Europa League qualification for Premier League teams explained

Jurgen Klopp celebrates as Liverpool win the UEFA Europa league quarter-final second leg football match v Borussia Dortmund at Anfield
Image: Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool are in the Europa League final

Who will go into the Champions League and Europa League group stages? Who faces qualifying for those competitions?

With the season reaching its climax, a complicated pattern of potential outcomes means domestic and European results will have a major effect on a number of Premier League clubs and their fixture list in 2016/17.

Here, we explain the permutations…

Methods of qualifying for the Champions League and Europa League

There are several ways Premier League teams can qualify for the Champions League and Europa League.

- League position - Winners will be seeded in the Champions League group stage. Second and third also make the group stages. Fourth will qualify for Champions League play-off round. 

- Champions League win - guarantees a place in the group stage of the Champions League for the following season.

Also See:

- Europa League win - guarantees a place in the Champions League group stage for the following season.

- FA Cup win - guarantees a Europa League group stage spot.

- League Cup win - guarantees a Europa League third-qualifying round spot.

European limits

No more than five clubs can enter the Champions League and no more than three can enter the Europa League from one national association

Who has already qualified for European competition next season?

Leicester defenders Robert Huth (l) and Wes Morgan

Leicester City have won the Premier League, meaning they will be one of the top eight seeds in the group stage of next season's Champions League.

Tottenham are guaranteed a top-four finish and a place in at least the Champions League play-offs.

Manchester City won the Capital One Cup - that guarantees them at least a spot in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

How has the Capital One Cup affected Premier League teams and their European qualification?

Man City manager Manuel Pellegrini holds up the Capital One Cup

Manchester City are guaranteed a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League for winning the Capital One Cup. Should City secure Champions League or Europa League group stage football through their league position, their place in the Europa League third qualifying round will be passed on to the next highest finisher in the Premier League who has not qualified for Europe.

How will the FA Cup affect teams?

Manchester United Press Conference

The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the 2016/17 Europa League group stage - unless they have already qualified for Europe through other means.

That means that while Crystal Palace would take up that place if victorious at Wembley, Manchester United - should they secure European football with their league position - could win the cup and pass on a European spot to the next highest finisher in the Premier League who has not qualified for Europe.

How will the Europa League affect teams?

The winner of the Europa League is now automatically entered into the group phase of the following season's Champions League. 

However, should Liverpool win the Europa League and finish in the Europa League qualifying spots in the Premier League, this does not mean the third Europa League place will become available for someone else. Instead, the Premier League will have five teams in next season's Champions League and two in next season's Europa League, instead of the usual four-three allocation.  

What does that mean for qualification via league positions? 

Eden Hazard is congratulated after scoring in the FA Cup against Manchester City

Those permutations mean a series of knock-on events could see seventh place in the Premier League awarded with a Europa League qualifying spot. 

Premier League winners:

Will qualify for the Champions League group stage and be seeded

Runners-up:

Will qualify for the Champions League group stage

Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur - Barclays Premier League

Third:

Will qualify for the Champions League group stage

Fourth:

Will qualify for the Champions League play-off

Fifth:

Will qualify for the Europa League group stage

UEFA Europa League final ambassador Alexander Frei shows the name of Manchester United during the draw for  the round of 16, Nyon

Sixth:

Will qualify for Europa League third qualifying round if Man City finish in top four 

Seventh:

Will qualify for Europa League qualifiers if Manchester United win the FA Cup and finish in the top six and Man City finish in the top five

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