Premier League, EFL, Scottish football: Ups, downs & European qualification
- Published
BBC Sport outlines promotion and relegation - and the race for European qualification - in England and Scotland for 2018-19.
Recent promotions, relegations, titles & qualifications
25 May: Tranmere promoted to League One |
18 May: Wolves qualify for Europa League |
Premier League
Four teams qualify automatically for next season's Champions League group stage - champions Manchester City, runners-up Liverpool, along with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. Chelsea's victory over Arsenal in the Europa League final means there will not be an extra team in the Champions League.
Fifth-placed Arsenal will enter the Europa League at the group stage. With Manchester City having won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, those Europa places revert to the league, so sixth-placed Manchester United will enter with Arsenal at the group stage, with seventh-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers entering at the second qualifying round.
Huddersfield Town confirmed their relegation to the Championship on 30 March after a 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace and they were joined by Fulham three days later after the Cottagers lost 4-1 at Watford. Cardiff City became the final team to be relegated following a 3-2 defeat at home by Palace on 4 May.
Championship
Norwich City clinched promotion to the Premier League on 27 April with a 2-1 win over Blackburn and sealed the title by winning 2-1 at Aston Villa on the final day. They will go up with Sheffield United, who claimed the second automatic promotion spot on 28 April when Leeds drew with Villa. However, Aston Villa claimed the final place by beating Derby 2-1 in the play-off final on 27 May.
Ipswich Town became the first EFL side to be relegated when they drew 1-1 with Birmingham on 13 April. Bolton Wanderers will join them in League One next season after a 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa on 19 April and Rotherham United completed the relegated trio after losing 2-1 at West Brom on 27 April.
League One
Luton Town and Barnsley were both promoted to the Championship without kicking a ball on 30 April after their nearest rivals both lost, and the Hatters clinched the title by beating Oxford 3-1 on the final day of the season. Charlton Athletic take the third promotion place after beating Sunderland 2-1 in the play-off final on 26 May.
Bradford City were relegated to League Two on 19 April after they lost 2-0 at Coventry and other results went against them later that day. On the final day of the season, Plymouth Argyle beat Scunthorpe United 3-2 but both teams were relegated, while Walsall joined them after a goalless draw with Shrewsbury.
League Two
Lincoln City became the first EFL team to be promoted when they drew 1-1 with Cheltenham on 13 April and they clinched the title on 22 April. Bury were promoted to League One on 30 April after drawing 1-1 at Tranmere, and Milton Keynes Dons went up on the final day after beating Mansfield 1-0. The final promotion place went to Tranmere Rovers, who beat Newport 1-0 in the play-off final on 25 May.
Yeovil Town's relegation to the National League was confirmed on 27 April after a 2-2 draw at Northampton. while Notts County were relegated on the final day after losing 3-1 at Swindon.
National League
Leyton Orient were promoted to League Two after drawing 0-0 with Braintree on the final day of the season to clinch the title. Salford City earned the second promotion place after beating AFC Fylde 3-0 in the play-off final.
Maidstone United, Havant & Waterlooville, Braintree Town and Aldershot Town have been relegated and will be replaced by the champions and play-off winners of the National League North and South divisions.
However, Gateshead's suspension from the National League, unless they can overturn it on appeal, could hand a reprieve to Aldershot as the highest-placed relegated club.
Torquay United clinched the National League South title with Woking winning the play-offs. Stockport County won the North title, with Chorley triumphing in the play-offs.
Scottish Premiership
Celtic won an eighth consecutive title with a 3-0 win at Aberdeen on 4 May and will enter the Champions League at the first qualifying round.
Runners-up Rangers and third-placed Kilmarnock will enter the Europa League at the first qualifying round, as will fourth-placed Aberdeen who qualify courtesy of Celtic's Scottish Cup win.
Dundee were relegated to the Scottish Championship on 4 May after losing 1-0 to Hamilton Academical. However,11th-placed St Mirren retained their top-flight status after beating Championship side Dundee United on penalties in the play-off final.
Scottish Championship
Ross County secured the title and automatic promotion to the Premiership after thumping Queen of the South 4-0 on 27 April. But they will be the only promoted team after Dundee United lost to Premiership second-bottom side St Mirren in the play-off final.
Falkirk were relegated to League One on the final day of the season despite beating champions Ross County 3-2. Meanwhile, Queen of the South retained their Championship status after beating League One side Raith Rovers in the play-off final.
Scottish League One
Champions Arbroath, who clinched the title after drawing 1-1 with Brechin City on 13 April, will be the only side promoted to the Scottish Championship after Raith Rovers lost the play-off final to Championship side Queen of the South.
Brechin City are relegated to Scottish League Two after drawing 1-1 on the final day with Stenhousemuir, who went down after losing to Annan in the play-off semi-finals.
Scottish League Two
Peterhead were promoted to Scottish League One as champions, sealing the title with a 2-0 win at Queen's Park on the final day. They will be joined by Clyde, who beat Annan Athletic in the play-off final.
Bottom team Berwick Rangers were relegated to the Lowland League after losing their play-off to Highland League champions Cove Rangers, who will become the SPFL's newest team in 2019-20.