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Crystal Palace’s Conference League triumph sealed a record-equalling nine Premier League clubs in Europe next season, underlining English football’s dominance.
Crystal Palace’s head coach Oliver Glasner bows to the fans after winning the Europa Conference League (AP)
A few weeks ago, the Premier League conversation revolved around one thing: chaos.
Nine clubs were crammed into a frantic race for four UEFA Champions League spots, with the table shifting almost every weekend. Fast forward to the end of the season, and the story has taken a dramatic turn.
Instead of heartbreak and near misses, English football is celebrating complete European domination.
Thanks to Crystal Palace’s stunning UEFA Conference League triumph, the Premier League will have a joint-record nine clubs competing across UEFA competitions next season.
Crystal Palace became the latest English side to add continental silverware after defeating Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the Conference League final at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena.
Oliver Glasner’s side created history with the club’s first-ever European trophy and, in the process, secured automatic qualification for the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League.
Palace also became the third English club to win the Conference League in the competition’s five-year existence, following West Ham United in 2023 and Chelsea in 2025.
Remarkably, Palace finished just 15th in the Premier League table, but their European triumph handed them an immediate return to continental football.
Importantly, Palace’s qualification does not impact any other Premier League clubs. Instead, it adds to England’s already stacked European lineup.
The Premier League’s Champions League contingent will feature Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa, alongside Liverpool, who secured qualification through the European Performance Spot despite finishing fifth.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth and Sunderland will compete in the Europa League after their sixth and seventh-place finishes, respectively.
Brighton & Hove Albion will play in the Conference League.
The Premier League had nine clubs in Europe in 2025/26 and has now matched that record again for next season.
However, there is a fresh look to the lineup, with Bournemouth, Brighton, Manchester United and Sunderland replacing Chelsea, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur.
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