The 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League season marks a significant milestone in European football history.
For the first time in the competition, a single nation, England, has seen five clubs qualify at once for the UCL Round of 16.
Champions League Quiz: General Knowledge
This record-breaking participation is a result of the tournament’s new, expanded format that began last season.
The previous format, which was used for 21 seasons, saw 32 clubs divided into eight groups of four, where the teams played each other twice.
The shift from a 32-team group stage to a 36-team single league phase has received plaudits as it has not only increased the number of participants but has also created a high-stakes format where heavyweight teams are forced to meet each other far earlier and more frequently, intensifying the competition for qualification spots.
The qualification of Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City to the UCL Round of 16 shows the dominance of the Premier League on the European stage, underscored by the fact that five of the six English representatives have successfully navigated the demanding league standings to secure direct qualification.
Road to the UCL Round of 16: How English Teams Fared In The League Phase
The English clubs delivered a series of highly impressive performances in the recently concluded league phase, underlining the Premier League’s strength in Europe.
Newcastle were the only ones to miss out on automatic qualification and are now set to face Qarabag in the knockout phase play-offs.
What made the qualification of the English clubs to the UCL Round of 16 even more impressive was the record-breaking nature of their achievements along the way.
Arsenal became the first club since the competition’s inaugural edition to win all eight league-phase matches, while England also set a new benchmark by fielding the highest number of clubs from a single nation in the league phase.
This was made possible as England secured an extra spot through a high UEFA coefficient ranking, with Tottenham Hotspur qualifying as the previous season’s UEFA Europa League winners.
Arsenal’s Flawless League Phase Run
The Gunners emerged as the undisputed stars of the league phase, with Mikel Arteta’s men collecting a flawless 24 points, finishing top of the 36-team standings with a perfect record of eight wins and 0 losses, conceding just four and scoring 23, highlighting both defensive solidity and attacking prowess.
What further sets the Premier League leaders apart was the statement victories they recorded along the way, including a commanding 4–0 win over Atletico Madrid, a 3-1 away triumph at Inter Milan, and another surprising 3-1 victory against Bayern Munich.
Manchester City Narrowly Edge Through To The Knockouts
Despite the 2023 UCL winners having an inconsistent period domestically, the Cityzens still managed to secure the final automatic qualification spot in eighth place with the same points as Chelsea, Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon (16 points).
Their journey to the UCL Round of 16 was not smooth sailing, as before the final league phase game, they were sat in 11th place, outside the automatic qualification zone.
In their must-win match against Galatasaray, they delivered under immense pressure, with goals from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki sending them into the knockout stages.
Liverpool Running Riot In Europe
Arne Slot’s team has shown a stark contrast between their domestic and European form.
Sitting down in sixth place in the Premier League, they have struggled for consistency, yet on the continental stage, they finished as the third-best team in the competition, with a record of six wins and two losses, accumulating 18 points.
They concluded the League Phase with one of the biggest victories, a dominant 6-0 victory over Qarabag FK.
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Tottenham Hotspur Shocking Plenty With Progression Into The Knockout Stages
Spurs’ qualification to the UCL Round of 16 after finishing in fourth place in the League Phase is arguably one of the most surprising outcomes of this season.
While they languish in 14th place in the Premier League, they have soared past European giants like Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Barcelona — suggesting that the club might have developed a “cup team” mentality, thriving in high-stakes, knockout-style matches rather than the relentless week-in, week-out demands of the league campaign.
Thomas Frank’s men secured fourth place in the standings with five wins, two draws, and a loss, earning 17 points.
Their surprising finish may also prove that the club is prioritising the European fixtures, and tactically, they might be more effective against the diverse tactical approaches they might come up against in Europe than the rigid and intense physicality often encountered in the Premier League.
Liam Rosenior’s Blues March Into The Round of 16
The Champions of the World weathered an early first-half scare to stage a thrilling second-half comeback against Napoli to secure their spot in the UCL Round of 16.
Since taking charge of the club, Chelsea’s head coach, Liam Rosenior, has guided the team to four consecutive wins and the game against Napoli was only his second Champions League game after succeeding Enzo Maresca.
Two second-half strikes from Joao Pedro turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 triumph at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
The Blues finished the campaign with 16 points, claiming sixth place with a record of five wins, one draw, and two losses.
Financial & Resource Dominance
“We’re happy with this situation. There are five Premier League teams in the top eight, which shows the level of that competition.”
“The best league in the world is the Premier League because they have invested the most money. They can buy many players,” he stated.
“You can see them in the transfer market every year.”
These were the comments made by Barcelona’s head coach Hansi Flick after his side’s 4-1 win over Copenhagen, and he does have a point.
Over the years, the success of English clubs in European football has been significantly boosted by the Premier League’s financial strength.
The league not only benefits from substantial global television rights deals, but also match-day revenue and diverse commercial activities.
This gives English clubs higher revenues compared to many European rivals.
This financial advantage enables Premier League teams to spend more in the transfer market, attracting top players and building deep squads capable of competing in multiple competitions.
In turn, this leads to higher UEFA rankings and prize money, creating a cycle of continued financial and on-field dominance in competitions like the Champions League and Europa League.
The Defining Moment: Will English Clubs Reach the Final In Budapest?
The presence of five teams — with the possibility of a sixth should Newcastle emerge victorious in the knockout phase play-offs — in the UCL Round of 16 underlines the growing collective strength and consistency of Premier League clubs at the highest level.
It’s not just about the numbers; the quality of results matters just as much.
Beyond the “big five” teams in the UCL Round of 16, other English sides are also excelling across the other European competitions.
Nottingham Forest delivered an emphatic 4–0 victory over Ferencvaros, Aston Villa staged a remarkable comeback from two goals down to defeat Salzburg in the Europa League, and Crystal Palace also continue to impress in the Conference League.
Altogether, that makes nine Premier League teams still competing strongly on the European stage.
With all signs pointing in that direction, there is a high possibility we could witness another all-English final — the first time since 2021 — as Premier League sides continue to dominate the competition.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO/Visionhaus
Recording Date: 28.01.2026
