This is who Newcastle United could potentially face in the Europa Conference League next season

So Newcastle United's season may finally be over but the wait continues to see whether the Magpies will be plying their trade in Europe next season.

A seventh-place finish will be enough to guarantee Newcastle a Europa Conference League spot should Manchester City win this weekend's FA Cup final. However, if Manchester United emerge victorious at Wembley Stadium, they will gain a Europa League position and Chelsea, who finished sixth, will take Newcastle's spot in the Europa Conference.

If you aren't too familiar with the competition Eddie Howe's side may find themselves in next season, don't worry, it's likely you aren't alone. The third UEFA club tournament was only formed in the 2021/22 season.

Roma won the inaugural competition, while West Ham United emerged victorious last season. Aston Villa reached the semi-finals this term before being knocked out by Olympiacos.

So, it was AC Milan, PSG and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League this season - but who could Newcastle be up against next year if Manchester City do the business this weekend?

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Europa Conference League 2024/25 contenders

With some European leagues not yet finished their domestic campaigns, not all clubs have been confirmed the 2024/25 edition of the competition.

For example, should Fiorentina win this year's Conference League final against Olympiakos and also keep hold of eighth spot in Serie A, the Italian top flight will receive an extra European spot for next season. That means, remarkably, ninth in the table will pick up a Conference League spot. Torino currently occupying that position, with Napoli able to steal it on the final day.

In Germany, Heidenheim, whose town has a population of just 50,000, pipped Werder Bremen to eighth spot on goal difference. They will play Conference League if Bayer Leverkusen win the German Cup in the coming weeks, while Hoffenheim will take their place if Leverkusen lose.

In Scotland, Hearts and Kilmarnock finished third and fourth respectively and will play Europa League play-off rounds but will drop into the Conference League if they lose. St Mirren, who finished fifth, will enter the Conference League play-off rounds themselves.

Other, lesser teams expected to be in the competition are the likes of Norwegian side Molde, Ireland's Shamrock Rovers, Polish outfit Legia Warsaw and Portugal top flight side Vitoria SC.

Not obscure enough for you? Well, Newcastle could also come up against Iceland side Vikingur Reykjavik, Moldovan side Petrocub or Georgian outfit Dinamo Batumi. A world away from the San Siro, Signal Iduna Park and the Parc des Princes.

Who did Aston Villa face?

It is hard to fully work out who Newcastle may be drawn against given the fact some smaller European leagues still have some way to go. So, who did Villa face this season on their run to the semi-finals?

Unai Emery's side started off with a comfortable play-off win over Hibernian before being placed into a group with AZ Alkmaar, Legia Warsaw and Bosnian side Zrinjski Mostar.

Villa took 13 points from a possible 18 before moving on to a knockout clash with Ajax. They dispatched the Dutch side 4-0 on aggregate on their way to the quarter-finals where they would be drawn against Lille.

They were knocked out in the semi-final after losing 6-2 on aggregate to Olympiacos. The Greek side will play Fiorentina in the final.

Who did West Ham United face?

David Moyes lifted the Europa Conference League with the Hammers, giving the east London outfit one of their best ever nights as they scooped the prize in Prague.

West Ham faced Danish side Viborg in a play-off round before being handed a favourable group stage draw. They took 18 points from 18 in their six outings, beating Steaua Bucharest, Silkeborg and Anderlecht home and away.

A 6-0 aggregate win over AEK Larnaca came next, before a 5-2 two-leg victory over Gent. AZ Alkmaar were dispatched in the semi-final, before Fiorentina were downed in the final thanks to a late Jarrod Bowen goal.