We explain the possible outcomes that can take place surrounding the teams in a relegation battle.
How many teams get relegated from the Premier League?
Three teams are relegated from the Premier League each season. The clubs who finish 18th, 19th and 20th in the final table go down to the Championship, with three promoted teams replacing them for the following campaign.
How many points are needed to avoid relegation in the Premier League?
For years, 40 points has been widely touted as the total needed to avoid relegation. However, it has frequently been lower than that.
In the last 20 years only one side have been relegated with as many as 39 points, forcing their rivals to match or beat that figure to stay up.
Since the Premier League became a 20-club competition, the team finishing 18th – the highest to go down – have averaged 35.2 points. So, on average, 36 points have been enough to stay up.
West Ham United’s 42 points in 2002/03 remain the most for a relegated side over that period. Only two other teams have finished in the bottom three with more than 40 points: Sunderland in 1996/97 and Bolton Wanderers the following season.
Nottingham Forest’s 32 points in 2023/24 make them the team with the lowest total to stay in the Premier League.
What happens if teams finish level on points in the Premier League?
If any clubs finish with the same number of points, their position in the Premier League table is determined by goal difference, then the number of goals scored, then the team who collected the most points in the head-to-head matches, then who scored most away goals in the head-to-head.
If the two teams are in contention for the title, a European place or to avoid relegation, and cannot be separated by the tiebreakers above, the two sides may contest a one-off play-off game at a neutral venue to decide who finishes higher. To date, this has not happened in the history of the Premier League.
Are Wolves relegated?
Yes. Wolverhampton Wanderers are 2025/26’s first relegated team. West Ham’s goalless draw at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace on 20 April 2026 made it mathematically impossible for Wolves to finish higher than 18th in the 2026/27 Premier League.
Are Burnley relegated?
Yes. Burnley will play in the Championship for the 2026/27 season. Burnley’s relegation was confirmed on 22 April 2026, after a narrow 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City at Turf Moor. That result meant the Clarets could no longer catch West Ham, who at the time were in 17th and one place outside the relegation zone. Their return to the Championship was sealed with four matches left to play.
What happens if Nottingham Forest win the Europa League and are relegated?
If Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest win the UEFA Europa League, they will automatically qualify for the league phase of next season's UEFA Champions League regardless of their finishing position in the Premier League.
If Nottingham Forest win the UEFA Europa League and are relegated, they will still automatically qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Three sides have been relegated from the Premier League and played European football the following season. Ipswich Town played in the UEFA Cup in 2002/03 after qualifying through UEFA’s Fair Play League in 2001/02; 2011 EFL Cup winners Birmingham City reached the Europa League Group Phase in 2011/12; and 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan Athletic also featured in the Group Phase of the 2013/14 Europa League.
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