Europa League: Why Crystal Palace Could Miss Out Despite Beating Man City to FA Cup Title
- Crystal Palace are reportedly on the verge of missing out on next year's UEFA Europa League
- The Eagles defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the Emirates FA Cup to win their first title in 119 years
- Palace’s co-owner, John Textor, has reportedly run afoul of UEFA's club ownership laws
Crystal Palace’s aspirations of competing in next year’s UEFA Europa League are reportedly in the danger zone.
The Eagles won their first major trophy in 119 years by beating Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final on May 17.
On the domestic front, Palace finished a lowly 12th in the 2024/25 Premier League season with 53 points.
Source: Getty Images
Ban looms over Crystal Palace's European dreams
Crystal Palace’s hopes of playing in a European tournament are at now said to be at risk due to John Textor and the European football body's rules on club ownership.
DailyMail reported that he owns about 43% of Palace and also holds majority shares at Olympique Lyonnais, who qualified for Europe by finishing sixth in Ligue 1.
Per SPORTbible, UEFA rules prohibit two clubs with the same owner from competing in the same European tournament, which could block Crystal Palace despite qualifying through their FA Cup win.
The same regulations also specify that the club finishing higher in their domestic league earns the European place, which would see the English side ceding to Lyon.
UEFA granted an exception this season to Manchester City and Girona, both owned by City Football Group, but similar leniency has not been shown here. Crystal Palace will reportedly hold an emergency meeting with UEFA today (June 3, 2025) to discuss the matter.
The club is considering entering the UEFA Conference League, but this may be problematic since co-owner David Blitzer owns Danish club Brondby, who are also competing for a spot in that competition.
If the meeting between UEFA and Palace fails, Brighton and Hove Albion could compete in the Conference League after finishing ninth in the Premier League, with Nottingham Forest promoted to the Europa League, per Mirror.
Source: Getty Images
What’s next for Crystal Palace?
Crystal Palace is reportedly hoping to convince UEFA about Textor’s ownership status. The FA Cup winners will reportedly argue that they do not share facilities, assets, or players with Lyon.
The club also claims he has limited influence due to holding only a quarter of the voting rights alongside three other shareholders, leading Textor to explore the option of buying Everton, per GB News.
A UEFA spokesperson stated:
“Decisions on multi-club ownership cases for the 2025/26 season will be announced in June. We do not comment on individual club cases until an official decision is made.”
Man United could miss Champions League
Legit.ng also recently reported that despite a chance of winning the UEFA Europa League, Manchester United’s hopes of qualifying for the 2025/26 Champions League are in danger.
The Red Devils ended 15th in the Premier League and also lost in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur to shut the door on qualifying for continental football in that way.
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Source: Legit.ng
