Ups, downs and the race for Europe – BBC Sport

BBC Sport outlines the promotion and relegation issues – and the race for European qualification – in England and Scotland for 2023-24.

Manchester City are champions for a fourth successive season, the first time this feat has been achieved in the English top flight, after beating West Ham 3-1 on the final day of the season.

City will be joined in next season’s Champions League group stage by Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and FA Cup winners Manchester United will enter the Europa League group stage. Sixth-placed Chelsea take the Europa Conference League place transferred to the league after Liverpool won the Carabao Cup.

WSL champions Chelsea, who clinched the title with a 6-0 win at Manchester United on the final day of the season, will enter the Champions League second round along with runners-up Manchester City. Third-placed Arsenal will enter in the first round.

Bristol City have been relegated and will make an immediate return to the second tier, with that fate confirmed they were thumped 4-0 by Manchester City on 29 April. They will be replaced by Women’s Championship winners Crystal Palace.

The bottom three teams are relegated to League One. Rotherham United were the first EFL team to be relegated when they lost 1-0 to Plymouth on 5 April, and they were joined on the final day of the season by Huddersfield Town who lost 2-0 at Ipswich and Birmingham City, despite their 1-0 win over Norwich.

The bottom four teams are relegated to National League North or South, and will be replaced with the champions and play-off winners of those two divisions.

Champions Celtic made sure of the title on 15 May by winning 5-0 at Kilmarnock, They will enter the Champions League group stage, with runners-up Rangers entering in the third qualifying round.

With Celtic also winning the Scottish Cup, the Europa League place reserved for the cup winners reverts to the league.

So Hearts will enter the Europa League at the play-off round, with Kilmarnock in the second qualifying round, while St Mirren will enter the Europa Conference League at the second qualifying round.

Bottom club Livingston were relegated to the Scottish Championship on 4 May after losing 4-1 at Motherwell, while 11th-placed Ross County will remain in the top flight after beating Championship side Raith Rovers in the play-off final.

Dundee United were promoted to the Scottish Premiership as champions on 26 April after a 0-0 draw at Airdrieonians. They will be the only promoted club after Raith Rovers lost to 11th-placed Premiership side Ross County in the play-off final.

Champions Falkirk clinched automatic promotion to the Scottish Championship after rivals Hamilton drew 0-0 with Queen of the South just before they won 7-1 at Montrose on 30 March. Hamilton Academical joined them after beating Championship side Inverness in the play-off final.