Premier League and Football League: Ups and downs

BBC Sport outlines the promotion and relegation issues - and the race for Europe - in England and Scotland.

PREMIER LEAGUE

The top three teams qualify for the Champions League group stage, with the fourth-placed team entering the preceding play-off round.

English clubs have three places in the Europa League - for the FA Cup winners, Capital One Cup winners and fifth-placed Premier League side.

Chelsea celebrate with the League Cup

Chelsea were the first English team to guarantee a European place for 2015-16

Chelsea were the first English side to book their place in Europe by winning the League Cup, but in the (extremely likely) event that they qualify for the Champions League, their Europa League place will go to the sixth-placed Premier League team.

Should Arsenal or Liverpool win the FA Cup and finish in the top four, their Europa League place will be allocated to the next highest non-qualified club in the Premier League.

The top three countries in Uefa's Respect Fair Play league get an extra Europa League place, which is given to the highest-placed team in the top flight's Fair Play table that has not yet qualified for Europe.

In Uefa's interim rankings on 31 December 2014, England were third in the Fair Play table. 

The bottom three teams will be relegated to the Championship.

CHAMPIONSHIP

The champions and runners-up will be promoted to the Premier League, and the next four teams will contest the play-offs.

The bottom three teams will be relegated to League One. Blackpool were the first Football League team to be relegated this season, after fellow strugglers Rotherham beat Brighton 1-0 on Easter Monday.

LEAGUE ONE

The top two teams will be promoted to the Championship, and the next four teams will contest the play-offs. Leaders Bristol City and second-placed Preston are both guaranteed play-off places at least.

At the bottom, four teams will be relegated to League Two. Yeovil, 13 points from safety with five games remaining, are on the brink of relegation and will go down next weekend if they lose to relegation rivals Notts County - or if other results go against them.

LEAGUE TWO

The top three teams will be promoted to League One, while teams finishing from fourth to seventh will contest the play-offs. Burton and Shrewsbury are assured of at least a play-off place, with Wycombe close to joining them.

The bottom two teams will be relegated to the Conference Premier.

CONFERENCE PREMIER

The champions will be promoted to League Two, with teams finishing from second to fifth contesting the play-offs for the second promotion place. Barnet, Bristol Rovers and Grimsby are all guaranteed a play-off place at least.

The bottom four teams will be relegated, and replaced by the champions and play-off winners of the Conference North and South divisions.

The Conference's bottom club AFC Telford United became the first team in England's top five divisions to be relegated on 3 April after they could only draw 1-1 with Kidderminster. Dartford will join them if they do not beat Macclesfield on Saturday - or other results go against them.

Nuneaton - who play Dartford - could also go down if they do not win and rival teams pick up points. Adding to Nuneaton's plight, they have been docked three points for fielding an ineligible player. The table won't be changed until the appeal process is exhausted, but if upheld the deduction will significantly increase the likelihood of relegation.

SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP

The Scottish Premiership will split in half after all teams have played 33 games (on 22 April), with the top six and the bottom six playing the other teams in their 'half' for a fourth and final time.

The champions will enter the Champions League at the second qualifying round stage.

The teams finishing second and third qualify for the Europa League along with the Scottish Cup winners.

The Cup winners enter the competition in the second qualifying round, the second and third-placed teams in the first qualifying round.

The top three countries in Uefa's Respect Fair Play league get an extra Europa League place, which is given to the highest-placed team in the top flight's Fair Play table that has not yet qualified for Europe.

In Uefa's interim rankings on 31 December 2014, Scotland were 12th in the Fair Play table. 

The bottom side will be relegated to the Scottish Championship, while the 11th-placed side will face the winners of the Championship play-offs over two legs, with the losers condemned to a place in the second tier next season.

SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP

Hearts celebrate

Hearts were the first team in Scotland or England's top four leagues to clinch promotion

Hearts clinched the title and an immediate return to the Premiership on 22 March after rivals Hibs lost 2-0 to Rangers.

The third and fourth-placed teams will meet in the first round of the play-offs, with the winners playing the division's second-placed team. Whoever emerges victorious from that two-legged encounter will face the second bottom side in the Premiership - again on a home and away basis - with a spot in the top flight the prize.

The bottom club will be relegated to League One, while the ninth-placed team will enter a play-off with three League One sides.

SCOTTISH LEAGUE ONE

The champions will be promoted to the Championship. The next three teams will enter a play-off with the ninth-placed Championship side.

The bottom team will be relegated to League Two, with the ninth-placed team entering a play-off. Bottom side Stirling Albion will be relegated next Saturday if they fail to beat Brechin, or if Ayr and Stenhousemuir both win.

SCOTTISH LEAGUE TWO

The champions will be promoted to League One, while teams finishing second, third and fourth will enter a play-off with the ninth-placed League One team.

The team finishing bottom will enter a play-off against the winner of a play-off between Highland League champions Brora Rangers and Lowland League title winners Edinburgh City for the final place in next season's League Two.