BBC Sport outlines the promotion and relegation issues in England and Scotland – plus the race for European places.

Manchester United were the first team to qualify for Europe

The title race will go to the final day of the season on Sunday 9 May, when leaders Chelsea host Wigan while rivals Manchester United entertain Stoke. Chelsea are assured of the title if they beat Wigan – and given Chelsea’s superior goal difference, United will need to win and hope Chelsea lose to win the title.

The top four sides in the Premier League qualify for the Champions League. The top three go straight to the group stage, while the fourth-placed team faces a play-off. Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham (who beat Manchester City on 5 May to seal their place) are all assured of a top-four finish.

English clubs are offered three places in the Europa League – for the FA Cup winners, the Carling Cup winners and the fifth-placed team in the Premier League.

Carling Cup winners Manchester United have already qualified for the Champions League, as have Chelsea who face Portsmouth in the FA Cup final.

The FA and Premier League have decided that Pompey should not play in Europe as they had not applied for a Uefa club licence (as administration meant they were not in a position to file their accounts), and rejected the club’s appeal.

Burnley’s relegation was confirmed after a heavy defeat by Liverpool

Unless that situation changes, the teams finishing sixth and seventh will also qualify for the Europa League. Manchester City will enter the Europa League, along with Aston Villa and Liverpool.

There are also extra Europa League places available for one team from each of the top three countries in Uefa’s Fair Play rankings. As of 31 December 2009, England were ranked third – and if Fulham win the Europa League final, Burnley are in line to take up the Fair Play place.

Portsmouth, who were deducted nine points after entering administration in February, went down on 10 April, while Burnley’s relegation was confirmed on 25 April after a 4-0 home defeat against Liverpool and Hull’s with a 2-2 draw at Wigan on 3 May.

Newcastle clinched promotion back to the top flight on Easter Monday

Newcastle United clinched an immediate return to the top flight on Easter Monday and were the first Football League team to be promoted. They won at Plymouth on 19 April to seal the title. They were joined by West Bromwich Albion on 10 April after their 3-2 win at Doncaster.

Nottingham Forest, Cardiff City, Leicester City and Blackpool will contest the play-offs.

Peterborough United were the first Football League team to be relegated after drawing 2-2 with Barnsley on Easter Monday. Fellow strugglers Plymouth Argyle were sent down in the same game that saw Newcastle crowned champions. Sheffield Wednesday were relegated on the last day of the season after they could only manage a draw against relegation rivals Crystal Palace.

Norwich clinched promotion on 17 April and the title a week later

Leaders Norwich City clinched promotion on 17 April and secured the title on 24 April with a 2-0 win against Gillingham.

Leeds, Millwall, Swindon, Charlton and Huddersfield could all grab the second automatic promotion place on the final day of the season – but Leeds and Millwall are favourites. The other four teams will contest the play-offs.

Four teams will drop to League Two – Stockport County were condemned to relegation after losing 3-1 to Yeovil on 10 April, and Southend United joined them after a 2-2 draw at Oldham on 24 April.

Wycombe Wanderers were relegated on 1 May after losing to Leyton Orient, which all but mathematically confirmed Orient’s place in League One.

Hartlepool now join Tranmere, Exeter and Gillingham as candidates for the remaining relegation place after Pools were fined three points for fielding an ineligible player in their 2-0 win over Brighton in April.

That leaves them just one point above the relegation zone going into their last game of the season, away to Brentford.

Notts County clinched the League Two title with a win over Darlington

Notts County, Bournemouth and Rochdale have clinched the three automatic promotion places, while County won the title with a 5-0 win at Darlington on 27 April.

Rotherham and Aldershot have secured their places in the play-offs – with six teams contesting the final two play-off spots on the last day of the season.

Two clubs will be relegated to the Blue Square Premier. Rock-bottom Darlington were relegated on 13 April, while Grimsby Town will join them unless they win at Burton on the final day of the season. That result would send Barnet down if the Bees fail to beat Rochdale, while Cheltenham are safe barring a heavy defeat for them at home to Accrington, coupled with wins for both Grimsby and Barnet.

Chester City’s demise means only three teams will be relegated

Stevenage Borough clinched the title and promotion to the Football League with a 2-0 win at Kidderminster on 17 April.

Oxford United and York City will contest the play-off final on 16 May for the second promotion spot.

Chester City were expelled from the Football Conference on Friday 26 February, liquidated and their results subsequently expunged, so only three teams will be relegated from the division.

Grays Athletic became the first club to be relegated in any of the top five English divisions on 3 April after a goalless draw with Kettering. Forest Green and Ebbsfleet United joined them on the final day of the season.

Four teams are promoted to the Blue Square Premier – the champions and play-off winners of the Blue Square North and South divisions.

Newport County were the first team in the top six tiers of English football to clinch promotion by beating Havant & Waterlooville 2-0 on 15 March to make sure of the Blue Square South title, while Bath City face Woking in the play-off final.

Southport took the Blue Square North title on the final day of the season with a 3-0 win at Eastwood Town. Alfreton Town and Fleetwood Town will contest the play-off final.

Rangers made sure of their 53rd SPL title on 25 April

Rangers clinched their 53rd SPL title with a 1-0 win at Hibernian on 25 April, and should enter the Champions League at the group stages. Celtic will definitely finish second and will enter the Champions League at the third qualifying round.

However, from 2011/12, the SPL will lose one of its two Champions League places after Belgium overtook Scotland in Uefa’s coefficient ranking table.

Teams finishing third and fourth will qualify for the Europa League, together with the Scottish Cup winners. Scottish Cup finalists Dundee United are guaranteed to finish third in the SPL so will qualify for the Europa League – but if they win the Cup, the additional Europa League place will go to the fifth-placed SPL team.

There are also extra Europa League places available for one team from each of the top three countries in Uefa’s Fair Play rankings. As of 31 December 2009, Scotland were ranked seventh.

The bottom club will be relegated to Division One.

Champions Inverness Caledonian Thistle returned to the SPL at the first attempt after rivals Dundee lost at Raith on Wednesday 21 April.

As the bottom club Ayr United were relegated to Division Two, whilst last-but-bottom Airdrie United face a play-off with three Division Two teams.

Stirling, who became champions on 1 May, will be promoted to Division One, with Alloa, Cowdenbeath and Brechin contesting a play-off withAirdrie United, the ninth-placed Division One team.

Clyde were relegated on 20 April after losing 2-1 at home to Stirling, while Arbroath face a play-off with three Division Three teams.

Livingston’s draw against Berwick on 17 April assured the side of the title and promotion.

Forfar, East Stirling and Queens Park will contest a play-off with Arbroath for a place in Division Two. There is no relegation from this division.