Manchester City have been awarded a place in next season’s Uefa Cup as a result of their placing in the domestic fair play league, the Premier League have confirmed.

City held off the challenge of Fulham to finish sixth in the English Fair Play table but crucially above any team who has not already qualified for Europe. It means City will enter the competition at the first qualifying round stage in July.

Ironically, City have already confirmed they will not be able to host the first qualifying round tie at Eastlands as the pitch is due to be relaid once a Bon Jovi concert has taken place in June. With Old Trafford ruled out for obvious reasons and most Lancashire grounds either relaying their surface or deemed unsuitable, Huddersfield Town's Galpharm Stadium, which usually plays host to rugby league in the summer, has been mentioned as a possible alternative.

Either way, having gained entry into the competition, one year ahead of schedule according to the blueprint of owner Thaksin Shinawatra, City will be fancied to reach the main stages in September.

While the draw for the first qualifying round is not due to be made until June 30, City already know they have been placed in the Northern section. That means they potentially face opposition from Estonia, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Lithuania or Luxembourg, or opposition closer to home in the form of two Northern Irish representatives Glentoran and Cliftonville, or two from the Republic in Cork City and St Patrick's Athletic, as well as Bangor from Wales.

There is also the possibility of a rematch with Wales' other representatives, The New Saints who, as Total Network Solutions, faced City when they last got into the Uefa Cup by the same route in 2003.