West Ham United will be hoping to win a first trophy in 43 years via the Europa Conference League this season.
They head to Belgium to take on K.A.A Gent on Thursday night in the first leg of their quarter-final clash, having won all ten of their matches in Europe this term.
Should they beat Gent this month, they will have to see off one of Anderlecht (Belgium) or AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) in the semi-finals to reach June’s final, taking place in the Czech Republic capital of Prague.
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On paper, West Ham’s squad is by far the most valuable still left in the competition, made stronger with both Lazio and Villarreal both exiting in the round of 16, with West Ham currently the bookies’ favourites.
With West Ham currently 14th in the Premier League table and 16 points shy of the top seven, qualification for Europe next season looks virtually impossible via a league finish, with it being likely that a finish in the top six or top seven will be required. However, they can still qualify for next season’s Europa League, should they win the second-ever edition of the Europa Conference League.
As things stand, Arsenal and Manchester City are certainties to finish in the Champions League places, with Newcastle United, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Brighton and Hove Albion, Liverpool, Brentford, and Fulham competing for the final two places in next season’s Champions League, the two Europa League spots and qualification place for next season’s Europa Conference League.
If West Ham were however to win the Europa Conference League, how would it affect the qualification places for Europe? Premier League rules state even if West Ham were to win the competition, it would not affect the qualification places via the Premier League or winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup this season.
Therefore, if West Ham were to be victorious in Prague in June, it would mean that England will have eight clubs across the three European club competitions.
A Premier League statement reads: “The winner of the UEFA Europa Conference League is guaranteed a place in UEFA Europa League group stages. If a Premier League club win the UEFA Europa Conference League and do not qualify for the UEFA Europa League via the Premier League or the FA Cup, then they enter the UEFA Europa League group stages as an additional club.”
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