Why finishing in top eight European places means Premier League sides avoiding a February fixture pile-up
Some Premier League teams could have to play as many as nine games across a 29-day period early next year if they fail to finish in the top eight spots of their respective European leagues and are still in the Carabao Cup; others are set for an eight-game run in that time
Tuesday 9 December 2025 16:18, UK
Premier League clubs participating in Europe face ultra-congested fixture lists in the New Year should they fail to finish in the top eight of their respective league phases, with some facing the prospect of nine games in a 29-day period.
In the Champions League, Arsenal currently sit at the top of the table after five games, with Chelsea in seventh. If they finish in the top eight, both clubs would play three games in Europe's elite competition between now and March as a result of automatically progressing to the knockout stages - giving them two much-needed weeks off.
Manchester City, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool make up the other English teams in the Champions League and currently sit outside the top eight. All three clubs rank in the top 24 of the table, meaning they would play in the two-legged knockout play-offs in February to secure a spot in the next stage.
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There's no respite in Europe's other competitions either. The schedule is the same for both the Europa League and Conference League, despite two fewer group games in the latter.
Aston Villa sit third in the Europa League standings, with Nottingham Forest 16th and currently in line for one of those play-off double headers. So too Crystal Palace, who are 18th in the Conference League group phase.
The first leg in the knockouts will be played in the midweek of February 17-19, with the return fixtures on February 24-26.
These two additional games come at a frantic time for English clubs, with the FA Cup fifth round scheduled in the week of the first leg and Premier League fixtures also included.
The first leg of the round of 16 is set to take place on March 10-12 with the second leg on March 17-19.
Clubs finishing outside the top eight would play five Champions League games between now and March, while those breaking into automatic qualification spots will only play three.
Manchester City, Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea also remain in the Carabao Cup and if they progress past the quarter-finals, which all four could as they do not face each other, the second leg of the semi-final would be played in the week commencing February 2.
The additional Champions League fixtures - alongside Premier League and Carabao Cup games - in February mean that those participating in the play-offs could play a total of nine fixtures across a 29-day period, while those sides already out of the League Cup may face eight games in that time.
Arsenal's fixtures
- January 31 - Leeds (a), Premier League
- *Week commencing February 2 - Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
- February 7 - Sunderland (h), Premier League
- February 11 - Brentford (a), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 - FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 - Tottenham Hotspur (a), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 - Chelsea (h), Premier League
Chelsea's fixtures
- January 31 - West Ham (h), Premier League
- *Week commencing February 2 - Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
- February 7 - Wolves (a), Premier League
- February 11 - Leeds United (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 - FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 - Burnley (h), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 - Arsenal (a), Premier League
Man City's fixtures
- February 1 - Tottenham (a), Premier League
- *Week commencing February 2 - Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
- February 7 - Liverpool (a), Premier League
- February 11 - Fulham (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 - FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 - Newcastle (h), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 - Leeds (a), Premier League
Liverpool's fixtures
- January 31 - Newcastle (h), Premier League
- February 7 - Man City (h), Premier League
- February 11 - Sunderland (a), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 - FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 - Nottingham Forest (a), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 - West Ham (h), Premier League
Newcastle's fixtures
- January 31 - Liverpool (a), Premier League
- *Week commencing February 2 - Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
- February 7 - Brentford (h), Premier League
- February 11 - Tottenham (a), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 - FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 - Man City (a), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 - Everton (h), Premier League
Tottenham's fixtures
- February 1 - Man City (h), Premier League
- February 7 - Man Utd (a), Premier League
- February 11 - Newcastle (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 - FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 - Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 - Arsenal (h), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 - Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 - Fulham (a), Premier League
Aston Villa's fixtures
- February 1 - Brentford (h), Premier League
- February 7 - Bournemouth (a), Premier League
- February 11 - Brighton (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 - FA Cup fourth round
- *February 19 - Play-off first leg, Europa League
- February 21 - Leeds United (h), Premier League
- *February 26 - Play-off second leg, Conference League
- February 28 - Wolves (a), Premier League
Nottingham Forest's fixtures
- February 1 - Crystal Palace (h), Premier League
- February 7 - Leeds United (h), Premier League
- February 11 - Wolverhampton (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 - FA Cup fourth round
- *February 19 - Play-off first leg, Europa League
- February 21 - Liverpool (h), Premier League
- *February 26 - Play-off second leg, Conference League
- February 28 - Brighton & Hove Albion (a), Premier League
Crystal Palace's fixtures
- February 1 - Nottm Forest (a), Premier League
- February 7 - Brighton (a), Premier League
- February 11 - Burnley (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 - FA Cup fourth round
- *February 19 - Play-off first leg, Conference League
- February 21 - Wolverhampton (h), Premier League
- *February 26 - Play-off second leg, Conference League
- February 28 - Manchester United (a), Premier League
*Fixtures marked with an asterisk are only applicable if teams finish from ninth to 24th in their respective European league phase to secure a place in the knock-out play-offs, or progress to the FA Cup fourth round or the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
