Premier League clubs still competing in Europe face the prospect of a very congested February if they finish outside the top eight places in their group phases. Some sides could be required to play as many as nine matches during a 29-day stretch if they are forced into the mid-season knockout play-offs.
How it works
– Under the current format, clubs that secure a top-eight finish in their European groups progress automatically to the knockout phase and avoid February play-offs, meaning fewer midweek European ties before March. Teams that finish lower — but still above elimination positions — must contest two-legged play-off knockouts in mid- to late February, adding extra fixtures to an already crowded calendar.
Champions League picture
– Arsenal sit top of their group after five games; Chelsea were seventh prior to their defeat at Atalanta. If both finish in the top eight, they would bypass the February play-offs and play only three Champions League matches between now and March, leaving roughly two weeks without European midweeks.
– Manchester City, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool were positioned outside the top eight going into the sixth round of fixtures. Those clubs are currently in places that would require them to play two-legged March-qualifying play-offs in February to reach the last 16, which would add two extra European midweeks.
Europa and Conference League
– The same structure applies in the Europa League and Europa Conference League (the Conference groups have two fewer group games, but the knock-out timetable is similar). Aston Villa are third in their Europa League section; Nottingham Forest sit 16th and currently face the prospect of a play-off double-header. Crystal Palace are 18th in their Conference League group and also risk extra February fixtures.
Key dates and clash with domestic schedule
– Play-off first legs: midweek of February 17–19
– Play-off return legs: midweek of February 24–26
– Champions League round-of-16 first legs: March 10–12
– Round-of-16 second legs: March 17–19
Those February play-off dates fall in the same weeks that include Premier League fixtures and the FA Cup fifth-round weekend, and potentially Carabao Cup semi-final second legs. A club required to play both domestic cup ties, league matches and European play-offs in February could therefore face an extraordinarily tight run of games.
Carabao Cup factor
– Manchester City, Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea remain in the Carabao Cup. If all four were to advance beyond the quarter-finals (they do not meet each other in that round), the second leg of the semi-finals would be scheduled in the week beginning February 2. That would create another midweek tie in early February for those clubs and increase the total number of fixtures across the month.
Potential match totals
– Clubs that finish outside the top eight in their European groups would play five Champions League matches between now and mid-March (the remaining group match plus two play-off legs and the two-legged round of 16), while automatic top-eight qualifiers would play only three. When you add domestic league matches, FA Cup ties and Carabao Cup commitments, teams in the play-offs could end up with nine fixtures in a 29-day window; even sides already eliminated from the League Cup may still have eight matches in that period.
Illustrative potential fixture lists (conditional fixtures marked with an asterisk)
Arsenal
– Jan 31 – Leeds (a), Premier League
– Week commencing Feb 2 – Carabao Cup semi-final second leg*
– Feb 7 – Sunderland (h), Premier League
– Feb 11 – Brentford (a), Premier League
– Weekend of Feb 14 – FA Cup fourth round*
– Feb 17 or 18 – Champions League play-off first leg*
– Feb 21 – Tottenham Hotspur (a), Premier League
– Feb 24 or 25 – Champions League play-off second leg*
– Feb 28 – Chelsea (h), Premier League
Chelsea
– Jan 31 – West Ham (h), Premier League
– Week commencing Feb 2 – Carabao Cup semi-final second leg*
– Feb 7 – Wolves (a), Premier League
– Feb 11 – Leeds United (h), Premier League
– Weekend of Feb 14 – FA Cup fourth round*
– Feb 17 or 18 – Champions League play-off first leg*
– Feb 21 – Burnley (h), Premier League
– Feb 24 or 25 – Champions League play-off second leg*
– Feb 28 – Arsenal (a), Premier League
Manchester City
– Feb 1 – Tottenham (a), Premier League
– Week commencing Feb 2 – Carabao Cup semi-final second leg*
– Feb 7 – Liverpool (a), Premier League
– Feb 11 – Fulham (h), Premier League
– Weekend of Feb 14 – FA Cup fourth round*
– Feb 17 or 18 – Champions League play-off first leg*
– Feb 21 – Newcastle (h), Premier League
– Feb 24 or 25 – Champions League play-off second leg*
– Feb 28 – Leeds (a), Premier League
Liverpool
– Jan 31 – Newcastle (h), Premier League
– Feb 7 – Man City (h), Premier League
– Feb 11 – Sunderland (a), Premier League
– Weekend of Feb 14 – FA Cup fourth round*
– Feb 17 or 18 – Champions League play-off first leg*
– Feb 21 – Nottingham Forest (a), Premier League
– Feb 24 or 25 – Champions League play-off second leg*
– Feb 28 – West Ham (h), Premier League
Newcastle United
– Jan 31 – Liverpool (a), Premier League
– Week commencing Feb 2 – Carabao Cup semi-final second leg*
– Feb 7 – Brentford (h), Premier League
– Feb 11 – Tottenham (a), Premier League
– Weekend of Feb 14 – FA Cup fourth round*
– Feb 17 or 18 – Champions League play-off first leg*
– Feb 21 – Man City (a), Premier League
– Feb 24 or 25 – Champions League play-off second leg*
– Feb 28 – Everton (h), Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur
– Feb 1 – Man City (h), Premier League
– Feb 7 – Man Utd (a), Premier League
– Feb 11 – Newcastle (h), Premier League
– Weekend of Feb 14 – FA Cup fourth round*
– Feb 17 or 18 – Champions League play-off first leg*
– Feb 21 – Arsenal (h), Premier League
– Feb 24 or 25 – Champions League play-off second leg*
– Feb 28 – Fulham (a), Premier League
Aston Villa
– Feb 1 – Brentford (h), Premier League
– Feb 7 – Bournemouth (a), Premier League
– Feb 11 – Brighton (h), Premier League
– Weekend of Feb 14 – FA Cup fourth round*
– Feb 19 – Europa League play-off first leg*
– Feb 21 – Leeds United (h), Premier League
– Feb 26 – Europa League play-off second leg*
– Feb 28 – Wolves (a), Premier League
Nottingham Forest
– Feb 1 – Crystal Palace (h), Premier League
– Feb 7 – Leeds United (h), Premier League
– Feb 11 – Wolverhampton (h), Premier League
– Weekend of Feb 14 – FA Cup fourth round*
– Feb 19 – Europa League play-off first leg*
– Feb 21 – Liverpool (h), Premier League
– Feb 26 – Europa League play-off second leg*
– Feb 28 – Brighton & Hove Albion (a), Premier League
Crystal Palace
– Feb 1 – Nottm Forest (a), Premier League
– Feb 7 – Brighton (a), Premier League
– Feb 11 – Burnley (h), Premier League
– Weekend of Feb 14 – FA Cup fourth round*
– Feb 19 – Conference League play-off first leg*
– Feb 21 – Wolverhampton (h), Premier League
– Feb 26 – Conference League play-off second leg*
– Feb 28 – Manchester United (a), Premier League
Note: fixtures marked with an asterisk are conditional — they apply only if teams finish in the positions that require them to contest the European knock-out play-offs (typically places 9–24 in the relevant league-phase table) or if they progress in the FA Cup or Carabao Cup.