The 2025/26 European club football season has unequivocally showcased the formidable strength of English teams, culminating in an unprecedented presence in the finals of the UEFACompetition·UEFA Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League, Europa LeagueCompetition·Europa League, and Europa Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League. This remarkable display of dominance has prompted considerable debate among other European clubs and within UEFACompetition·UEFA itself, with calls for potential modifications to competition rules.
In the UEFACompetition·UEFA Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League, a historic six English clubs — LiverpoolTeam·Liverpool, ArsenalTeam·Arsenal, Manchester CityTeam·Manchester City, ChelseaTeam·Chelsea, Newcastle UnitedTeam·Newcastle United, and Tottenham HotspurTeam·Tottenham Hotspur — qualified for the group stage. This expanded representation was partly facilitated by England securing an additional "European Performance Spot" based on its strong UEFACompetition·UEFA club coefficient from the preceding season. Five of these six teams, specifically ArsenalTeam·Arsenal, LiverpoolTeam·Liverpool, Tottenham HotspurTeam·Tottenham Hotspur, ChelseaTeam·Chelsea, and Manchester CityTeam·Manchester City, advanced directly to the Round of 16 after finishing in the top eight of the league phase. ArsenalTeam·Arsenal notably achieved a near-perfect record, securing eight wins from eight matches in this initial phase. Newcastle UnitedTeam·Newcastle United also progressed to the knockout play-off round, further underscoring the collective strength. By November 2025, Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League teams boasted a 71% winning rate in the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League, significantly surpassing clubs from other major European leagues.
The success extends beyond the premier competition. Aston VillaTeam·Aston Villa has reached the final of the UEFACompetition·UEFA Europa LeagueCompetition·Europa League, where they are set to face SC Freiburg. Meanwhile, Crystal PalaceTeam·Crystal Palace, after being re-allocated from the Europa LeagueCompetition·Europa League due to UEFACompetition·UEFA's multi-club ownership regulations, has advanced to the final of the UEFACompetition·UEFA Europa Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League. A victory for Crystal PalaceTeam·Crystal Palace would mark the third English winner of this competition in four years, highlighting a consistent presence at the pinnacle of European club football.
This pronounced success, particularly the presence of three English teams in the finals of all three major European club competitions, has not been universally welcomed. Concerns have been voiced by other European football associations and clubs, who reportedly urged UEFACompetition·UEFA to consider modifying Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League rules. A key suggestion involves the removal of "country protection" in the league phase, which currently prevents teams from the same nation from being drawn against each other. This proposal stems from fears that the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League's increasing financial and sporting power is negatively impacting the competitiveness of teams from other countries.
During the 2025/26 Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League league phase, the large number of English participants, including three in Pot 1, necessitated specific draw conditions to uphold the country protection rule. This resulted in prominent clubs such as BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona, Bayern MunichTeam·Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-GermainTeam·Paris Saint-Germain, and Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid being required to play two matches against Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League teams, which some perceived as leading to more challenging draws. As reported by Forbes in November 2025, the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League's ongoing dominance presents a "worrying" scenario for UEFACompetition·UEFA, with "no easy solution in sight."
Crystal PalaceTeam·Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean HendersonPlayer·Dean Henderson, reflecting on his club's journey, expressed a strong sentiment regarding their initial re-allocation. In May 2026, he stated:
"We felt affronted by the demotion. We need to get back what we deserve."
This sentiment underscores the belief within English clubs regarding their rightful place in European football. UEFACompetition·UEFA's coefficient rankings, which consistently place England at the top, further reinforce this trend, directly influencing the allocation of European competition berths and contributing to the sustained presence of English clubs at the highest levels of continental competition.
Liverpool FC Women and Arsenal Women in action during their Barclays Women's Super League match at Anfield. Credit: Avalon.red/IMAGO
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