Why Chelsea Can Turn Down Champions League Next Season

• Chelsea may qualify for both the Champions League and the Europa League, but UEFA rules allow them compete in only one of the two competitions
• If Chelsea win the Conference League and finish in the top five, they can choose to play in either the Champions League or Europa League next season
• Chelsea’s Champions League hopes could be affected by UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, as they share ownership with French club Strasbourg

As the Premier League season draws to a thrilling close, the battle for European football intensifies.

With just a few games left, clubs are jostling not only for Champions League qualification but also for spots in the Europa League and the Conference League.

What adds further complexity to the race is a series of UEFA rules and performance-based clauses that could ultimately determine who ends up where.

Thanks to England’s strong performance in European competitions this season, the Premier League will benefit from an additional Champions League spot in 2024/25.

This means five English teams will feature in next season’s Champions League, per the Mirror.

While the title race may be concluded, fans still have every reason to stay glued to their screens until the final whistle blows on May 25.

Premier League clubs battle for Champions League qualification

The race for the Champions League spots is shaping up to be even more compelling than Liverpool’s recently sealed Premier League title.

With five UCL places available due to England’s strong UEFA coefficient, the scramble among the chasing pack is intense.

Liverpool have already booked their ticket to next season’s Champions League by virtue of being crowned champions.

That leaves four spots open for other clubs, and several teams are still in the mix.

As of matchweek 36, only six points separate Arsenal in second from Nottingham Forest in seventh, highlighting how tight the competition remains.

Currently, the top seven teams are guaranteed some form of European football next season.

However, the final standings will determine which competition they’ll play in—Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League. Every point from now until the end could make or break a team’s European aspirations.

Can Chelsea still qualify for the Champions League?

Chelsea’s pursuit of Champions League football suffered a serious blow following a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United.

An early strike from Sandro Tonali and a reckless red card picked up by Nicolas Jackson handed the Magpies three crucial points, putting Chelsea’s top-five hopes in jeopardy.

The Blues now face a daunting run-in, with games remaining against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge and a tricky away fixture at Nottingham Forest.

Both matches are must-win encounters if Chelsea are to sneak into the top five and secure Champions League qualification via the league.

How Chelsea can 'decline' Champions League

If Chelsea wins the Conference League and finishes in the top five, they would qualify for both competitions but can only participate in one.

UEFA rules allow the club to choose which competition they want to enter.

It’s no surprise that teams prefer the higher competition, and Chelsea would certainly opt for the Champions League over the Europa League.

But why does this ‘ridiculous’ rule exist?

According to ESPN’s Dale Johnson, it’s designed to help clubs from lower-ranked leagues who often begin their Champions League journey in the playoff rounds.

"The rule is in place to cover teams from lower-ranked European leagues that win the Conference League. If they use their domestic UCL spot in the qualifying rounds, they may not secure a place in the Europa League. If they find it difficult to make it to the UCL group stage through qualifiers, they can instead choose the automatic spot in the Europa League earned by winning the Conference League."

How Chelsea can be banned from Champions League

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Chelsea’s participation in next season’s Champions League could be blocked due to UEFA’s multiclub ownership regulations.

The club is owned by BlueCo, which also holds ownership of Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

UEFA rules prohibit two clubs under the same ownership structure from competing in the same European competition. This puts Chelsea in a potentially difficult position should both they and Strasbourg qualify for the UCL.

Source: YEN.com.gh