Frank Christian
Manchester United’s dismal season came to a head with a 1-0 loss to Tottenham in the Europa League final this year.
Brennan Johnson’s fortunate goal in the first half secured the win for Spurs at the stadium in Bilbao.
This defeat leaves a beleaguered United side, plagued by injuries and facing challenges under new coach Ruben Amorim, who took over in November after Eric ten Hag’s departure, with no silverware to show for their efforts. They languished in 16th place heading into the last match of the Premier League season.
Consequently, after one of their worst-ever campaigns in the Premier League, the Red Devils will miss out on European competitions next season—a rarity for the club.
When was the last occasion Man United missed European competition?
Traditionally, Manchester United has been a prominent participant in European tournaments, especially since Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure began in 1986.
The ban on English clubs stemming from the 1985 Heysel Stadium incident prevented United from competing in Europe. Excluding that period, they have only missed out on European play two times due to on-field performance.
A continuous streak of 24 years in European tournaments ended during the 2014-15 season under David Moyes, where they finished seventh in the league—Ferguson’s first season of retirement. Before that, United’s last absence from European competition (not including the Heysel ban) was in the 1981-82 season.
In the upcoming 2025/26 season, they will not feature in European tournaments due to their low league standing and failure to secure a cup competition that could have granted them entry into the Conference League, Europa League, or Champions League.
Man United’s seasons without European competition since 1980
| Season | Previous League Finish | Previous European Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 16th (with one game remaining) | Europa League (RU) |
| 2014/15 | 7th | Champions League (QF) |
| 1989/90* | 11th | — |
| 1988/89* | 2nd | — |
| 1987/88* | 11th | — |
| 1986/87* | 4th | — |
| 1985/86* | 4th | UEFA Cup (QF) |
| 1981/82 | 8th | UEFA Cup (R1) |
*English clubs barred from UEFA tournaments
What financial implications does missing Europe have for Man United?
Estimating the financial loss is complex, but there are methods to evaluate the earnings United would forfeit by not competing in European events.
First, there’s the Premier League’s merit-based payments allocated based on final standings. Last season, Manchester City, who secured the top spot, received £33.8 million while Brentford, who finished 16th—United’s current standing—earned £15.2 million.
United’s previous hope for Champions League qualification was through winning the Europa League, but now they must watch as Spurs prepare to receive £15.7 million, guaranteed even if they lose all matches in the league phase.
Within those eight matches, a win nets £1.8 million, while a draw brings in £590,000. Teams finishing in the top eight from the league phase get £1.7 million each, with £233,000 for each place. Liverpool, having topped the inaugural league phase, earned £8.4 million.
Advancing through each round provides additional financial rewards, with the final winner, either Inter Milan or Paris Saint-Germain, set to earn £21.5 million. Arsenal’s run to the semifinals accrued around £70 million, excluding matchday revenues and further commercial benefits.
