Man City Champions League ban: Who will qualify for the Champions League following CAS appeal success?

City's success at CAS brings clarity over European qualification

Manchester City will play in the Champions League next season after the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned their two-year ban from European competitions in a landmark ruling on Monday.

In a statement, CAS said City “did not disguise equity funding as sponsorship contributions” and that the alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations were “either not established or time-barred”.

Who qualifies for the Champions League?

The verdict means that, as per usual, the top four Premier League clubs will qualify for next season’s Champions League. Newly-crowned champions Liverpool and runners-up City have already secured their place.

If City’s ban had been upheld, a fifth-place finish would have been enough to qualify. Instead, the two remaining spots will be contested by Chelsea, Leicester City, Manchester United and Wolves.

Sheffield United and Tottenham Hotspur can also still qualify, though are more likely to fight for a place in next season’s Europa League alongside Arsenal and Burnley.

Premier League

European qualification

Champions League group stages: Liverpool, Manchester City, 3rd, 4th

Europa League group stages: 5th, FA Cup winners (or 6th place, if FA Cup winners finish 5th or above)

Europa League second qualifying round: 6th (or 7th place, if FA Cup winners finish 5th or above)

Who qualifies for the Europa League?

The fifth-place team will automatically qualify for the Europa League group stages and the two remaining spots are awarded to the FA Cup and EFL Cup winners.

As City won this season’s EFL Cup, their qualification place will goes to the sixth-place team in the league.

And if City or another team to finish in the top five wins the FA Cup, the final Europa League spot will go to seventh-place. City, Arsenal, United and Chelsea will contest the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend at Wembley.

What if City or Chelsea win the Champions League, or Manchester United or Wolves win the Europa League?

City winning the Champions League would have no effect on qualification further down the Premier League.

If Chelsea were to win the Champions League but finish outside the top four, they would qualify for next season’s competition as holders. The Premier League would only have two Europa League places – one through the league, one through the FA Cup winners.

If United or Wolves win the Europa League and finish outside the top four, then they will qualify automatically for the Champions League group stages. Again, the Premier League would only have two Europa League places – one through the league, one through the FA Cup winners.