English clubs have ruled over the Europa League with an iron fist in recent years. Both of the last two winners of Europe’s secondary tournament hailed from Old Blighty, with Aston Villa reigning supreme in last year’s showpiece in Istanbul with a 3-0 victory over German outfit Freiburg, while Tottenham Hotspur lifted the trophy the year before when they beat Manchester United in an all-English showpiece in Bilbao. This year, however, that stranglehold could well be loosened.
None of the Premier League’s big hitters will feature in the Europa League this season. Aston Villa has qualified for the Champions League after winning the tournament last year, while heavy hitters Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Manchester United will all feature in the continent’s elite competition as well. Not only that, but a number of England’s usual big guns, such as Chelsea, Newcastle, and 2025 winners Spurs, all had miserable years domestically last term and missed out on continental qualification altogether.
The Unlikely Trio
As such, an unusual cast of misfits will represent England in the Europa League this season. Crystal Palace qualified after winning last season’s Conference League, Bournemouth will compete in European competition for the first time ever, while Sunderland — only promoted to the Premier League just over a year ago — round out the English trio. And for the first time in years, online betting sites don’t consider an English club as the outright favorite to lift the trophy come May.
Popular crypto sports betting outlets currently consider traditional continental heavyweights, Juventus and AC Milan — two usual Champions League regulars — as the frontrunners. The Bianconeri are listed at 7/1, with their Rossoneri rivals just behind at 15/2. England’s most likely champion, according to the odds, is Bournemouth at 10/1, with Crystal Palace out at 15/1 and Sunderland an even longer 18/1 shot. So, how did this unlikely trio get here, and do they have any hope of upsetting the big boys in the Europa League this season?
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace was a club consistently fighting relegation when former Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner took over two and a half years ago. The Austrian had already proven his pedigree after leading Eintracht to Europa League glory in 2022, but Eagles supporters could barely believe the journey that their new tactician would lead them on.
Under Glasner, Palace won the FA Cup in 2025 by beating the much-fancied Manchester City at Wembley courtesy of Eberechi Eze’s goal. That was the club’s first piece of silverware in its 120-year history, and they would add their first continental title to their dusty cabinet a year later by winning the Conference League back in May, thanks to a 1-0 victory against Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig.
That triumph secured the South London club’s spot in this season’s Europa League, completing a stunning rise from the doldrums of the Premier League to the bright lights of Europe’s secondary competition in just two years. However, Palace will head into the competition without Glasner at the helm.
He departed the club at the end of last season, opting not to sign a new deal to remain at Selhurst Park. In his place comes Pierre Sage, the man who just led Lens to second place in Ligue 1 and a first-ever Coupe de France. However, his start to life in England has been tough, and Palace currently sits 13th in the Premier League after losing two of their opening three games.
Can they make an impression on the Europa League this term? It’s certainly possible. In Jean-Philippe Mateta, they have one of Europe’s most lethal marksmen leading the line, while wingers Yeremy Pino and Ismaila Sarr, as well as deep-lying playmaker Adam Wharton, provide plenty of assistance. Following last season’s Conference League triumph, they have the pedigree to get the job done on the continental stage, but it remains to be seen how they will handle the step up in class without the man who masterminded the club’s recent rise.
Bournemouth
Back in 2008, Bournemouth were on the brink of relegation to English football’s fifth tier as they geared up for a League Two campaign with a whopping 17-point deduction. Fast forward 18 years, and they are now gearing up for a maiden foray onto the continental stage. And much like Palace, they will do so without the man who led them this far.
Andoni Iraola led the Cherries away from the bottom half of the Premier League to a shock sixth-place finish, just three points behind Liverpool and a spot in the Champions League. Still, the Europa League will do just fine for those on the south coast, but the form under new boss Marco Rose is certainly concerning, with Bournemouth still awaiting their first win under the former Borussia Dortmund man.
20-year-old attackers Junior Kroupi and Rayan are two of the hottest young talents in world football right now, and they will be aiming to make a lasting impression on the Europa League this season. Add to that young Englishman Adam Scott and former FC Porto hitman Evanilson, and it’s clear that this is a squad stacked with young talent. Whether that is enough to take the fight to the likes of Juventus and Milan, however, is a different question entirely.
Sunderland
Sunderland is without question the most shocking name to see in the Europa League this season. The Black Cats were plying their trade in League One as recently as five years ago and only secured promotion to the Premier League last May with an upset playoff final victory against the much-fancied Sheffield United. Then, they embarked upon a near £200m spending spree, landing experienced continental stars such as Granit Xhaka, Brian Brobbey, and Nordi Mukiele, and the results spoke for themselves.
Despite being considered the favorites for relegation, Sunderland upset the odds all season long, and a run of four games without defeat at the end of the season — including back-to-back wins in the final two games — saw them sneak into seventh place and secure the final Europa League qualifying spot. Now, they are set to welcome some of Europe’s biggest names to the near-50,000-capacity Stadium of Light, a ground that no away team will look forward to visiting thanks to its raucous atmosphere.