Premier League, Women’s Super League, EFL, Scottish football: Ups, downs & European qualification

BBC Sport outlines the promotion and relegation issues – and the race for European qualification – in England and Scotland for 2023-24.

Premier League

There are also places in the Champions League group stage reserved for the winners of this season’s Champions League and Europa League, regardless of their domestic league positions.

The fifth-placed Premier League team will qualify for the Europa League group stage, along with the FA Cup winners. If the FA Cup winners have already qualified for the Champions League, that Europa place reverts to the league.

Because Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool can finish no lower than fifth, and at worst will qualify for the Europa League, the Europa Conference League place earned by Liverpool for winning the Carabao Cup will revert to the league.

If Aston Villa win the Europa Conference League but fail to reach the Champions League, they will qualify for the Europa League group stage.

The bottom three teams will be relegated to the Championship. The relegation picture may be complicated by Everton’s and Nottingham Forest’s appeals against their points deductions for breaches of Premier League profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).

Women’s Super League

The WSL champions and runners-up will enter the Champions League second round, with the third-placed team entering at the first round. Manchester City have made sure of their Champions League spot, with Chelsea close to joining them.

The bottom side will be relegated to the Women’s Championship.

Championship

The top two teams will be automatically promoted to the Premier League, with the next four entering a play-off. Automatic promotion is between Ipswich, Leicester, Leeds and Southampton, who are all assured of at least a play-off place.

The bottom three teams will be relegated to League One. Rotherham United were the first EFL team to be relegated when they lost 1-0 to Plymouth on 5 April.

League One

Portsmouth secured automatic promotion to the Championship as champions on 16 April by beating Barnsley 3-2.

The second automatic place will go to the runners-up – either Derby, Bolton or Peterborough – with the unsuccessful sides entering a play-off with two other teams.

The bottom four teams will be relegated to League Two. Carlisle United were relegated on 6 April after losing 2-0 at Northampton. Fleetwood will join them unless they win their last two games and other results go their way.

League Two

Stockport County clinched automatic promotion to League One by beating Morecambe 2-0 on 13 April, and won the title three days later with a 5-2 win at Notts County.

They will be joined by Wrexham, who made sure of promotion by beating Forest Green 6-0 on 13 April, and Mansfield Town who beat Accrington 2-1 on 16 April.

The final promotion place will go to the winners of a play-off between Milton Keynes Dons and three other teams.

The bottom two teams will be relegated to the National League. Forest Green Rovers’ relegation was confirmed on 16 April after Colchester beat Grimsby 2-0.

National League

Chesterfield secured the title, and automatic promotion back to the EFL after six years away, by beating Boreham Wood 3-0 on 23 March.

A play-off for the second promotion place will be contested by Barnet, Bromley, Altrincham, Solihull Moors, Gateshead and one other team – one from Halifax, Southend, Aldershot or Oldham.

The bottom four teams will be relegated to National League North or South, and will be replaced with the champions and play-off winners of those two divisions.

Oxford City‘s relegation was confirmed when they lost 2-1 at AFC Fylde on 23 March, and they were joined on 13 April by Dorking Wanderers who drew 1-1 at Rochdale, and Kidderminster Harriers who lost 1-0 to Eastleigh.

Tamworth clinched the National League North title on 6 April with a 1-1 draw against Warrington, while Yeovil Town made sure of the South title by beating Truro 2-0 on 11 April.

Scottish Premiership

The Premiership splits in half after 33 games, with each club playing the others in its ‘half’ for a fourth and final time.

The champions will enter the Champions League group stage, with the runners-up entering in the third qualifying round. Celtic are assured of a Champions League place, with Rangers close to joining them.

The Scottish Cup winners will enter the Europa League at the play-off round. If the cup winners finish in the top two, that Europa place reverts to the league.

The third-placed Premiership team will enter the Europa League at the second qualifying round, with the fourth-placed team entering the Europa Conference League at the second qualifying round.

The Premiership’s bottom club will be relegated to the Scottish Championship, while the 11th-placed team will enter a play-off with three Championship sides.

Scottish Championship

The champions – Dundee United or Raith Rovers – will be promoted to the Scottish Premiership. Whoever does not win the title will enter a play-off with two other Championship teams and the 11th-placed Premiership side.

Bottom side Arbroath‘s relegation to League One was confirmed with a 5-0 thrashing by Ayr United on 13 April. The ninth-placed team will enter a play-off with three League One sides.

Scottish League One

Champions Falkirk clinched automatic promotion to the Scottish Championship after rivals Hamilton drew 0-0 with Queen of the South just before they won 7-1 at Montrose on 30 March.

The next three teams will enter a play-off with the ninth-placed Championship side, with Hamilton Academical assured of their play-off spot.

Bottom club Edinburgh City were the first team in England or Scotland to be relegated after losing 5-2 to Alloa on 16 March. The ninth-placed team will enter a play-off with three League Two teams.

Scottish League Two

Stenhousemuir clinched automatic promotion to League One as champions on 6 March after drawing 0-0 with East Fife. Peterhead, Dumbarton and either The Spartans or East Fife will enter a play-off with the ninth-placed League One side.

The bottom side will enter a play-off against the winners of a play-off between the Highland League champions and Lowland League winners East Kilbride. The overall winners will take the final place in League Two for 2024-25.