Mikel Arteta has helped raise Arsenal back amongst the elite but their recovered European status is unlikely to help them
Arsenal waited 22 years to win the Premier League title, and their success is sure to have lasting effects for the club. The Gunners will experience many benefits in both the short and long term from their achievement.
But looking ahead to next season, the club aims to defend their title. An accomplishment not seen in North London since the 1930s.
In the same season, Arsenal reached the UEFA Champions League final for the first time since 2006 and, in both competitions, earned more than £300million in prize money and broadcasting revenue. Next season, Mikel Arteta will again be aiming to go one step further and win the elite European competition.
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Unlike the previous two seasons, Arsenal will do so as a Pot 1 side. Having been in Pot 2 for the last two seasons, their improved coefficient, having reached the semi-finals and then Champions League final, has promoted them.
This is the first time since 2014 that the Gunners will be in the top pot. However, unlike 12 years ago, there will be effectively no benefits to being in it.
Despite not being league champions in 2013/14, Arsenal had been a Pot 1 side for some time due to their healthy UEFA coefficient. However, from the 2015/16 season, UEFA changed the seeding process and Pot 1 was made up of league champions from the highest coefficient nations, Champions League winners, and Europa League winners.
Groups were made up of four teams, one from each pot. So in the 2014/15 season Arsenal’s group was made from Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray and Anderlecht.
After the change of the Champions League from the 2024/25 season, which removed the group stage in favour of a 36-team league phase, teams were drawn against two teams from each of the four pots to make up their eight-match schedule; four home, four away.
This means for next season the only difference for Arsenal is that they have fewer potential opponents from pot 1 having been included themselves. It is expected that the Gunners will be joined by Manchester City and Liverpool in Pot 1, who are not allowed to be drawn against each other, being from the same nation.
This means an even smaller selection of potential opponents. Currently, it is expected that Arsenal will face two of: Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
From Pot 2, for the moment, Arsenal could face two of: Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sporting CP, FC Porto, Club Brugge, Real Betis and PSV Eindhoven.
From Pot 3, for the moment, Arsenal could face two of: Feyenoord, Lille, Napoli, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Shakhtar Donetsk and Galatasaray.
From Pot 4, for the moment, Arsenal could face two of: Slavia Praha, Stuttgart, Como 1907 and RC Lens.
The gaps in Pot 3 and 4 will be filled by clubs currently competing in the qualification stage this summer.
