Missing the Champions League happens. Even the biggest clubs slip up sometimes. But failing to qualify for the Europa League or Conference League? That’s a different level of pain.
Traditional powerhouses from the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, and Serie A feature among 10 clubs we can’t believe will probably not be playing in any UEFA competition next season. Here they are.
10. Strasbourg – BlueCo’s involvement got us used to them hovering around Conference League level. Gary O’Neil led them to a madcap 5-4 win over Monaco on the final weekend, but eighth in Ligue 1 isn’t enough for Europe.
Also read: PCI not a bailout, but reform tool to boost investor confidence – Finance Minister
9. FC Copenhagen – The Danish Superliga’s former perennial champions are in crisis. Aarhus won their first title in 40 years. Copenhagen lost their Champions League play-off to Basel, then plunged into the relegation round. A Danish Cup final defeat to Midtjylland cost them their last Europa League lifeline.
8. Athletic Club – Just last season, they were in the Europa League semis. This season, they even held reigning champions PSG to a goalless draw in the Champions League. But now? Three points off a Conference League spot with an inferior head-to-head record. Their chances are 0%.
7. Lazio – The Biancocelesti are invariably in some UEFA competition. But reappointing Maurizio Sarri hasn’t worked. This is their first time failing to qualify for Europe in back-to-back seasons since the early 90s. Como has taken their spot.
6. Sevilla – The record seven-time Europa League winners. Between 2004 and 2024, they missed Europe only once. Next season will be their third straight campaign without it. To make it worse, city rivals Real Betis are in the Champions League. Ouch.
5. Ajax – PSV and Feyenoord are in the Champions League. Surprise package NEC Nijmegen could join them. But Ajax? Pipped to fourth place by FC Twente, losing a Europa League qualifier spot. Now they face Groningen in the play-off semis, then either Utrecht or Heerenveen. Watch this space.
4. Eintracht Frankfurt – No ifs or buts. The 2025-26 Bundesliga season is done. Frankfurt sits eighth, three points off a Conference League place. They’ve played in Europe in seven of the last eight seasons, even winning the Europa League in 2022. But losing Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitike, defensive shambles, sacking Dino Toppmoller, and Albert Riera lasting three months? Disaster.
3. Tottenham – You might scoff, but only twice in the last 20 years have Spurs failed to make any European competition. The last time, Ange Postecoglou got them within a whisker of the top four. The time before, Harry Redknapp took them to the Champions League. Now? Their only final-week permutations are about which division they’ll be in. Gulp.
2. Monaco – They took points off Man City, Tottenham, and Juventus in the Champions League group phase. They almost shocked PSG in the play-offs. A seven-match winning run had them on course for a return. Then they crashed: one win from their final six matches.
1. Chelsea – There’s still an asterisk here. The Champions League is long gone. The FA Cup final defeat killed their Europa League hopes. But if they get their regulation home win over Spurs on Tuesday, the Blues are back in the mix for the Conference League, maybe even Europa, on the final weekend. Enzo Maresca’s bomb squad worked in the Conference League this season. But Xabi Alonso might hope they miss out entirely. Both Jürgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta benefited massively from a full season out of Europe early in their tenures. And look what Michael Carrick is doing at Manchester United. Chelsea won their last title a decade ago thanks to Antonio Conte capitalising on no European distractions.