Football

Crystal Palace’s Europa League qualification in Jeopardy over UEFA ownership rule breach

Published

1 week ago

June 10, 2025

Spread The News

Crystal Palace’s historic qualification for the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League is now in serious doubt following a breach of UEFA’s club ownership regulations, casting uncertainty over the club’s European campaign just weeks after their FA Cup triumph.

At the heart of the issue is Palace co-owner John Textor, who also holds a significant stake in French Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais.

Both clubs secured qualification for next season’s Europa League, triggering UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, which prohibit individuals from having a “decisive influence” over more than one club competing in the same European competition.

UEFA has reportedly rejected an attempt by Textor to circumvent the rule by placing his Crystal Palace shares into a blind trust — a move previously used by some owners to meet compliance standards.

However, the governing body deemed the arrangement insufficient to eliminate potential conflicts of interest.

Compounding the situation is another ownership complication involving Palace’s majority shareholder, David Blitzer, who also owns Danish Superliga club Brøndby IF.

Brøndby are in contention for qualification to the UEFA Europa Conference League, the third-tier European competition. This raises further concerns about possible violations of UEFA’s integrity and fairness rules should both clubs compete simultaneously in related tournaments.

UEFA now faces a complex decision, with sources indicating that if the issue is not resolved before club registration deadlines, Palace could be disqualified from the Europa League.

In that scenario, Nottingham Forest — who narrowly missed out on European qualification — may be granted the vacant spot. Brighton & Hove Albion, who finished just below in the league standings, would then be offered a place in the Conference League.

Crystal Palace secured their Europa League ticket in dramatic fashion, defeating reigning Premier League champions Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

The victory marked a historic moment for the South London club, earning them their first European campaign in over a decade.

Initially, Palace and Aston Villa were slated to represent England in the Europa League next season. However, if UEFA proceeds with sanctions, Palace’s hard-earned spot may be handed to rivals due to what many see as a growing challenge of multi-club ownership in modern football.

The club has yet to issue an official statement, but insiders say Palace are working closely with legal and financial experts to explore last-minute solutions that may satisfy UEFA’s demands.

Meanwhile, fans anxiously await clarity as the club risks missing out on the European stage despite their on-field achievements.

UEFA is expected to make a final ruling in the coming weeks as the official list of qualified clubs is confirmed for the 2025/26 European season.