Football trips international: These Clubs will not play in the European competitions in 2025/26

Football trips with BVB, FC Bayern, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer 04 Leverkusen will compete in the Champions League in 2025/26. The Bundesliga contributes four teams, while the English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga will each send six and five clubs respectively. But not all top clubs from the most popular leagues will participate internationally this season.

This also includes record Europa League winners FC Sevilla. In La Liga, "Los Sevillistas" narrowly avoided relegation with only 41 points. 

However, the Andalusian capital will still be represented internationally by Conference League finalist Betis Sevilla, who will play in the Europa League. 

From England, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United created an unusual scenario by reaching the Europa League final in Bilbao despite finishing low in their domestic league. Only one of these underperforming Premier League giants could salvage their season through the Europa League title – and that was Tottenham Hotspur.

The Londoners became the sixth English team to qualify for the 2025/26 Champions League.

International football trips: After the 0–1 defeat in the all-English Europa League final against Tottenham, it was clear: Manchester United and Joshua Zirkzee will not play in Europe in 2025/26. What a disappointment... Photo: Imago Images

Europe without Manchester United – When did that last happen?

Manchester United ended the season empty-handed. Now only a joint-record English champion after Liverpool's title win, the club from Old Trafford will be mere spectators in Europe – for the first time since 2014. "Manchester United’s nightmare season," headlined the New York Times after the 0–1 loss in the Europa League final against the "Spurs", "Heartbreak in Europe and drifting aimlessly in the league."

Italy: Lazio out of Europe

Italy’s Serie A had an exciting finish in 2025, with SSC Napoli winning the title and returning to European competition after a year’s absence.

While AS Roma secured a Europa League spot by finishing fifth, their city and archrival Lazio Rome will miss out in 2025/26. The “Laziali” finished seventh, just outside the European qualification spots, as AC Fiorentina edged them out thanks to a goal difference seven goals better – earning a place in the Europa Conference League qualifiers.

Bundesliga: European football without the "Red Bulls" 

RB Leipzig also had a disappointing season. For the first time since their promotion to the Bundesliga in 2016, the "Red Bulls" won’t feature in European competition.

They had burst into the Champions League in 2017 as runners-up – the first-ever Bundesliga newcomer to do so. But a 2–3 loss to VfB Stuttgart on the final matchday of 2024/25 cost Leipzig even a place in the Conference League. 

As a result, Mainz 05 is the only German club that will have to play European qualification this summer – in the Conference League.