Premier League clubs’ performances in Europe: Brighton are going on tour next season!
Here is a record of all 20 Premier League clubs’ records in the three major European competitions (Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League).
There are obviously a few ground rules to go over…
Losing in the qualifying rounds does not count here. For example, Aston Villa last played a European match in the 2010/11 season, but were knocked out in the Europa League play-off round by Rapid Wien. We are not counting that as their last entry into the Europa League. Also: the second round of the old UEFA Cup is better than the group stage in the Europa League. Mainly because this means a club got over the first hurdle having qualified for the competition.
Arsenal (Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Runners-up (2005/06)
Latest entry – 2016/17 (round of 16)
No. of entries: 21
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Runners-up (1999/00, 2018/19)
Latest entry – 2022/23 (round of 16)
No. of entries: 11
Super Cup
Best finish – Runners-up (1994)
Latest entry – 1994 (runners-up)
No. of entries – 1
Europa Conference League
N/A
Arsenal have never won the biggest prize in club football and have not been in the Champions League since the 2016/17 season when they were battered 10-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich in the last 16. The Gunners have not reached the last eight of the competition since 2009/10. They are pretty sh*t in Europe, which is something rival fans won’t let them forget. Their only European titles came last century when they won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969/70 and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1993/94.
Aston Villa (European Cup, European Super Cup, Intertoto Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Winners (1981/82)
Latest entry – 1982/83 (quarter-finals)
No. of entries – 2
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Quarter-finals (1977/78, 1997/98)
Latest entry – 2008/09 (round of 32)
No. of entries – 11
Europa Conference League
N/A
Super Cup
Best finish – Winners (1982)
Latest entry – 1994 (runners-up)
No. of entries – 1
Aston Villa are one of five English sides to have won the European Cup or Champions League. They did so in 1982, losing in the quarter-finals the following season – their last time in the competition. The Villans have not qualified for Europe since 2008, when they reached the first knockout round in the UEFA Cup, losing 3-1 on aggregate to CSKA Moscow. Unai Emery’s arrival has given them a great chance of ending their excruciating wait.
Bournemouth
Champions League/European Cup
N/A
Europa League/UEFA Cup
N/A
Europa Conference League
N/A
Can I just shock you? Little ol’ Bournemouth have never played in Europe.
Brentford
Champions League/European Cup
N/A
Europa League/UEFA Cup
N/A
Europa Conference League
N/A
Like Bournemouth, Brentford have never played in Europe. But under Thomas Frank, anything is possible.
Brighton
Champions League/European Cup
N/A
Europa League/UEFA Cup
N/A
Europa Conference League
N/A
Brighton’s win over Southampton last weekend means they will play in Europe next season for the first time in their history. Which competition they will be in remains uncertain. The Seagulls are going on tour!
Chelsea (Champions League x2, Europa League x2, Super Cup x2, Cup Winners’ Cup x2, Club World Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Winners (2011/12, 2020/21)
Latest entry – 2022/23 (quarter-finals)
No. of entries – 19
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Winners (2012/13, 2018/19)
Latest entry – 2018/19 (winners)
No. of entries – 5
Europa Conference League
N/A
Super Cup
Best finish – Winners (1998, 2021)
Latest entry – 2021 (winners)
No. of entries – 5
Club World Cup
Best finish – Winners (2021)
Latest entry – 2021 (winners)
No. of entries – 2
Chelsea sensationally reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in five out of their six appearances in the competition in the 2000s but didn’t get their hands on the trophy until 2012 when they beat Bayern Munich on penalties at the Allianz Arena. They won the Europa League the following season and then again in 2019 before claiming their second Champions League in 2021, beating Premier League rivals Manchester City 1-0 courtesy of a Kai Havertz goal. The Blues failed to get beyond the second round in any of their three UEFA Cup appearances. Since then, they have appeared in the Europa League twice, lifting the trophy both times.
Crystal Palace
Champions League/European Cup
N/A
Europa League/UEFA Cup
N/A
Europa Conference League
N/A
Crystal Palace competed in the Intertoto Cup in the 1998/99 season, reaching the third round, losing 4-0 on aggregate to Samsunspor, who now play in the second tier of Turkish football. How did they get into the Intertoto Cup a season after finishing rock bottom of the Premier League? Because they were the only English team to apply. Brilliant.
Everton (Cup Winners’ Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Quarter-finals (1970/71)
Latest entry – 1970/71 (quarter-finals)
No. of entries – 1
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Round of 16 (2014/15)
Latest entry – 2017/18 (group stage)
No. of entries – 9
Europa Conference League
N/A
In Everton’s first time qualifying for the European Cup they were given an awful draw, landing eventual winners Inter Milan in the preliminary round in the 1963/64 season. They only lost 1-0 on aggregate, a few months on from winning the First Division. The next time they qualified they reached the last eight. The Toffees’ first appearance in Europe was in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1962. They won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1985 when they were actually pretty damn good. That season they also won the First Division, FA Charity Shield and finished as runners-up in the FA Cup, losing in extra-time.
Fulham (Intertoto Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
N/A
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Runners-up (2009/10)
Latest entry – 2011/12 (group stage)
No. of entries – 3
Europa Conference League
N/A
Fulham were one of three clubs crowned winners of the Intertoto Cup in 2002. What a confusing competition…
Who can forget the Cottagers’ side in 2010 that defied the odds to reach the final of the Europa League, losing out thanks to a double from Atletico Madrid’s Diego Forlan. Bloody extra-time. Absolutely gut-wrenching.
On this day in 2010, Diego Forlán led Atlético Madrid to Europa League glory against Fulham.
2010 was quite the year for Forlán.pic.twitter.com/G4p24Xolbf
— Warriors of Uruguay (@UruguayanHeroes) May 12, 2023
Leeds (Inter-Cities Fairs Cup x2)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Runners-up (1974/75)
Latest entry – 2000/01 (semi-finals)
No. of entries – 4
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Semi-finals (1999/00)
Latest entry – 2002/03 (third round)
No. of entries – 8
Europa Conference League
N/A
Leeds have not played in Europe since 2002/03 when they reached the third round of the UEFA Cup. It is hard to imagine them back playing continental football any time soon.
Leicester
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Quarter-finals (2016/17)
Latest entry – 2016/17 (quarter-finals)
No. of entries – 1
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Round of 32 (2020/21)
Latest entry – 2021/22 (group stage)
No. of entries – 4
Europa Conference League
Best finish – Semi-finals (2021/22)
Latest entry – 2021/22 (semi-finals)
No. of entries – 1
Leicester first appeared in Europe back in 1961 when they played in the first round of the Cup Winners’ Cup. Since then, they have passed the first hurdle in the Europa League/UEFA Cup once and reached the last four of the inaugural Europa Conference League, losing to eventual winners Roma.
Liverpool (Champions League/European Cup x6, UEFA Cup x3, Super Cup x4, Club World Cup x1)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Winners (1976/77, 1977/78, 1980/81, 1983/84, 2004/05, 2018/19)
Latest entry – 2022/23 (last 16)
No. of entries – 27
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Winners (1972/73, 1975/76, 2000/01)
Latest entry – 2015/16 (Runners-up)
No. of entries – 14
Europa Conference League
N/A
Super Cup
Best finish – Winners (1977, 2001, 2005, 2019)
Latest entry – 2019 (winners)
No. of entries – 6
Club World Cup
Best finish – Winners (2019)
Latest entry – 2019 (winners)
No. of entries – 2
Liverpool have been quite good in Europe. Their first European campaign was in the European Cup in 1964/65. Their first European trophy came eight seasons later when they claimed the UEFA Cup. The Reds were at their best in the ’70s and ’80s when they had club legends like Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness.
Manchester City (Cup Winners’ Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Runners-up (2020/21)
Latest entry – 2022/23 (final*)
No. of entries – 13
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Quarter-finals (1978/79, 2008/09)
Latest entry – 2011/12 (last 16)
No. of entries – 8
Europa Conference League
N/A
City competed in the European Cup in 1968/69 and made their Champions League debut 43 years later. They have only won the Cup Winners’ Cup (1969/70) but should win the biggest prize in club football this season with a favourable final against Inter Milan on the horizon.
*Manchester City are still in this season’s competition.
READ MORE: Haaland, Man City to obliterate Sir Alex’s legacy? Ten Premier League records that will be broken
Manchester United (Champions League/European Cup x3, Europa League, Cup Winners’ Cup, Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, Club World Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Winners (1967/68, 1998/99, 2007/08)
Latest entry – 2021/22 (round of 16)
No. of entries – 30
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Winners (2016/17)
Latest entry – 2022/23 (quarter-finals)
No. of entries – 12
Europa Conference League
N/A
Super Cup/European Super Cup
Best finish – Winners (1991)
Latest entry – 2017 (runners-up)
No. of entries – 4
Not quite as good as their arch-rivals Liverpool, the only continental competition United have won more than once is the big one.
Newcastle (Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Intertoto Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Second group stage (2002/03)
Latest entry – 2002/03 (second group stage)
No. of entries – 2
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Semi-finals (2003/04)
Latest entry – 2012/13 (quarter-finals)
No. of entries – 8
Europa Conference League
N/A
Newcastle have not played in the Champions League since 2003/04 when they were knocked out in the third qualifying round. The last time they reached the group stage was the year prior. The Magpies’ last time in Europe was in the Europa League 10 years ago.
Nottingham Forest
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Winners (1978/79, 1979/80)
Latest entry – 1980/81 (first round)
No. of entries – 3
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Semi-finals (1983/84)
Latest entry – 1995/96 (quarter-finals)
No. of entries – 3
Europa Conference League
N/A
Super Cup/European Super Cup
Best finish – Winners (1979)
Latest entry – 1980 (runners-up)
No. of entries – 2
“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that.”
Southampton
Champions League/European Cup
N/A
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – 1981/82 (second round)
Latest entry – 2016/17 (group stage)
No. of entries – 6
Europa Conference League
N/A
Southampton first enjoyed a European campaign back in 1969/70 when they reached the third round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. They have not played in Europe since crashing out of the Europa League group stage in 2016/17. Their impending relegation hints that they won’t be back any time soon.
Tottenham (UEFA Cup x2, Cup Winners’ Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Runners-up (2018/19)
Latest entry – 2022/23 (round of 16)
No. of entries – 7
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Winners (1971/72, 1983/84)
Latest entry – 2020/21 (round of 16)
No. of entries – 16
Europa Conference League
Best finish – Group stage (2021/22)
Latest entry – 2021/22 (group stage)
No. of entries – 1
Arsenal can have their St. Totteringham’s Day. It won’t make their European record any better than Spurs’.
West Ham (Cup Winners’ Cup, Intertoto Cup)
Champions League/European Cup
N/A
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Semi-finals (2021/22)
Latest entry – 2021/22 (semi-finals)
No. of entries – 3
Europa Conference League
Best finish – Final (2022/23*)
Latest entry – 2022/23 (final)
No. of entries – 1
West Ham are massive. Not massive enough to have ever played in the biggest club competition, though. They have a great chance of winning this season’s Europa Conference League having reached the final*, where they will play Fiorentina.
READ MORE: We’re all team David Moyes as West Ham’s poor season could become a great one
Wolves
Champions League/European Cup
Best finish – Quarter-finals (1959/60)
Latest entry – 1959/60 (quarter-finals)
No. of entries – 2
Europa League/UEFA Cup
Best finish – Runners-up (1971/72)
Latest entry – 2019/20 (quarter-finals)
No. of entries – 5
Europa Conference League
N/A
Wolves’ first two continental campaigns came in the European Cup. They reached the UEFA Cup final in 1972, losing to Tottenham. They were in the Europa League not so long ago and had a good chance of winning the whole thing if it wasn’t for eventual winners Sevilla, who were obviously managed by current Molineux boss Julen Lopetegui.