Man City UEFA proceedings explained amid Champions League ban threat as Arsenal watch on

Arsenal are on course to qualify for next season's Champions League and will be wondering which of their Premier League rivals could join them in the competition.

Newly-crowned champions Liverpool are certain, in second are nailed-on and after them, Newcastle United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are vyingt for the remaining three spaces.

There are two final matches in the domestic season that will settle the battle once and for all.

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Should they seal qualification, a number of Arsenal's aforementioned rivals would have to comply with 's updated, stringent rules around multi-club ownership.

In March 2025, European football's governing body updated their multi-club ownership rules ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. In , it outlined its mission to ensure the integrity of its club competitions.

In short, UEFA do not permit the partnership, alliance and/or cooperation of individuals, directly or indirectly, between clubs in a significant position of power. From the owners to the boardroom, from the sporting directors to the coaches, the rules are strict on paper.

They state: "The club must be able to prove, as of March 1, 2025, the below multi-club ownership criteria were met and the club must continue to comply with the below criteria from that date until the end of the competition season."

The first of three criteria outlines that no club participating in a UEFA club competition may, either directly or indirectly:

hold or deal in the securities or shares of any other club participating in a UEFA club competition;

be a member of any other club participating in a UEFA club competition;

be involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of any other club participating in a UEFA club competition; or

have any power whatsoever in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of any other club participating in a UEFA club competition.

The second of three criteria states: "No one may simultaneously be involved, either directly or indirectly, in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition."

And, the third of three criteria outlines: "No individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition, such control or influence being defined in this context."

This is defined as:

holding a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights;

having the right to appoint or remove a majority of the members of the administrative, management or supervisory body of the club;

being a shareholder and alone controlling a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights pursuant to an agreement entered into with other shareholders of the club; or

being able to exercise by any means a decisive influence in the decision-making of the club

As the team who have directly beaten Arsenal to the Premier League title in two of the past three seasons, Man City could be deemed the biggest threat amongst the top-five hopefuls to Mikel Arteta's side and their dream of success.

Especially if Pep Guardiola is granted a significant transfer budget this summer to rectify the problems that have plagued his squad in 2024/25.

This time last year they faced issues relating to the above rules as Man City's ownership, City Football Group (CFG), hold a 47 percent controlling stake in Spanish La Liga outfit Girona, who also qualified for the Champions League.

But the rules had not come into force ahead of the current season and were permitted to move their stake into a 'blind trust' in order to comply, though only as a temporary measure until July 1, 2025, following which were held to decide whether all four clubs could compete in Europe this season.

Those shares are due to return to CFG from July 1, meaning that without a permanent solution they would fall foul of the new rules, should both clubs once again qualify for European competition. But sparing Man City from any form of punishment is the fact that Girona are 15th in La Liga and therefore won't be in European competition next season, in what will no doubt be a welcome update in the corridors of the Etihad Stadium.

That said, it is something that CFG would potentially have to fix at a later date if both their clubs do qualify for Europe at the same time in future and they wish for both to compete instead of just one.

If Chelsea make next season's Champions League it is a problem they should encounter as owners BlueCo also have a near-100 percent stake in French team RC Strasbourg, who are on track to reach the competition too.

The same goes for Manchester United, who can qualify alongside Arsenal by beating Tottenham Hotspur in this season's Europa League final.

Minority owners Ineos, headed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, have entire ownership of French club OGC Nice and like Man City, last year were able to utilise a blind trust as a temporary fix.

And lastly it is an issue already sorted by Forest, whose owner Evangelos Marinakis recently diluted his control in the club so on paper he is no longer a 'person with significant control', knowing that the other club he owns, Olympiacos, are set to win the Greek championship.

While a ban from competing in next season's Champions League is still possible for Chelsea and Manchester United, City do not have the same concern for the time being.