Thirty-four years of Premier League football have produced countless twists, title races, and survival scraps — yet just six clubs have never once been relegated from the division since its formation ahead of the 1992-93 season. That exclusive group, however, is in danger of shrinking before the current campaign is even over.
The Six Ever-Present Clubs
Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur all share the distinction of never having dropped out of the Premier League. It is a remarkable record given the volatility of the modern game, and it spans every promotion battle, points-deduction saga, and final-day drama the top flight has served up across more than three decades.
The list used to be longer. Aston Villa were the last founding member to maintain that status before their relegation at the end of the 2015-16 season — their first and only drop out of the division to date — ended their run. Since then, the group has remained at six.
Spurs Facing the Drop on Final Day
That number could fall to five this weekend. Tottenham head into the final fixture of the season sitting 17th in the Premier League table, with their top-flight status far from secured. They host Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a game that carries enormous weight — not just for survival, but for a piece of history that has stood since 1992.
A Spurs win guarantees they stay up. A draw would all but do the same, given West Ham's significantly inferior goal difference. But defeat — combined with a West Ham win at home to Leeds — would see Nuno Espirito Santo's side leap above Spurs and condemn the north London club to the Championship for the first time in the Premier League era.
The situation feels all the more incongruous given the backdrop. Roberto De Zerbi's Spurs began this very season competing in the Champions League and are the reigning Europa League holders. The contrast between European pedigree and domestic peril could scarcely be more stark.
What Is at Stake Beyond Survival
For Tottenham, the implications of relegation stretch well beyond a season in the second tier. The commercial and structural damage — lost broadcast revenue, potential player exits, and the psychological weight of being the first ever-present club to go down — would reshape the club significantly.
Everton, their opponents on the day, find themselves in the unusual position of being the potential instrument of their own fellow ever-present's downfall. The Toffees have already secured their own safety and arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with little riding on the result beyond pride and the peculiar twist of fate that a win or draw could, indirectly, help preserve their shared piece of Premier League folklore.
The Bigger Picture
The Premier League's founding in 1992 brought 22 clubs into the new division — a number subsequently reduced to 20. Of all those original members, only this tight cluster of six have remained a constant presence. Arsenal's invincible season, Liverpool's long-awaited title, Chelsea's serial trophy-winning years, and Manchester United's dynasty under Sir Alex Ferguson all form part of that unbroken top-flight story.
Whether Spurs add a very different chapter to their own history this weekend remains to be seen. The noises out of north London are cautiously confident, but the market and the table tell a nervier story. Kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday will carry the weight of 34 years of Premier League history.
Frequently asked
- Which clubs have never been relegated from the Premier League?
- Six clubs have never been relegated from the Premier League: Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur. All six have been ever-present since the division was formed ahead of the 1992-93 season.
- Has Tottenham ever been relegated from the Premier League?
- Not yet — but they are at serious risk of becoming the first ever-present club to be relegated. Spurs go into the final day of the 2025-26 season in 17th place and must at least draw with Everton to all but guarantee their survival.
- When was Aston Villa last relegated from the Premier League?
- Aston Villa were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2015-16 season. They were the last founding member of the Premier League to lose their ever-present status in the division.