I told Eddie Howe something about Newcastle United he didn't know ahead of the 2025-26 season

Newcastle United have guaranteed a return to Europe next season after ending their 70-year domestic trophy drought.

By beating Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday to win the Carabao Cup, the Magpies have secured a place in the 2025-26 Europa Conference League.

Indeed, it has been lost in the mad celebrations, and understandably so! When NewcastleWorld spoke to Eddie Howe at Wembley and asked him about the ‘added bonus’ of getting back into Europe, the United boss replied: “Yeah, well, I was not aware of that. You've just told me something, so thank you.”

Newcastle United are aiming much higher

But Newcastle will hope their Europa Conference League play-off place is nothing more than something to fall back on with United currently in the race for Champions League football. Indeed, that probably formed part of Howe’s short response.

The Magpies weren’t in Premier League action over the weekend but they managed to remain sixth in the table after results went their way. Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion played out a 1-1 draw at the Etihad, while Chelsea lost 1-0 to Arsenal.

Elsewhere, AFC Bournemouth dropped to 10th after losing at home to Brentford.

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As it stands, UEFA coefficient rules are set to hand England an extra place in next season’s Champions League spot, meaning the top five would qualify. Sixth position would then become a Europa League spot.

Should the Magpies finish in the European spots, their Europa Conference League place would be given to the next highest-ranked Premier League side.

Newcastle United CEO Darren Eales outlines the importance of European football

Last season, Newcastle got a taste of playing in the Champions League and want to return at the earliest opportunity, not just because of the opposition it attracts but revenue too, having £29.8million.

Speaking earlier this month, Magpies’ CEO Darren Eales said: "We want to be in Europe, we want to be competing there. Clearly the higher level in Europe you're at, the more the revenues are. This is something that is clearly a focus for us. To be clear at the start of the season, European qualification would have been our aim.”

There is also the feeling of unfinished business after United fell short of reaching the knockout stages last time out.

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