Crystal Palace Await Europa League Decision

Ruling Expected by Month-End

Crystal Palace will likely have to wait until the end of June to learn about their eligibility to compete in the 2025-26 Europa League, according to informed sources. The club executives traveled to Switzerland on Tuesday for discussions with UEFA officials regarding their participation.

Multiplicity of Club Ownership

UEFA regulations prohibit individuals from controlling more than one club in the same tournament to prevent conflicts of interest.

Palace is associated with Eagle Football, a multi-club group led by John Textor, who also has a controlling stake in Ligue 1 club Lyon, which has qualified for the Europa League next season.

Palace’s management contends that Textor, who has been attempting to divest his stake in the club, does not exert decisive control over Palace.

Given that Lyon finished sixth in Ligue 1, they take precedence in qualification, surpassing Palace, which ended the Premier League season in twelfth place.

Originally, the anticipation was that a decision would be made within the week, but recent indications suggest that an announcement will be delayed until late June.

How Did Palace Reach This Point?

Crystal Palace secured their spot in the Europa League by defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Although Lyon initially earned a place in the Conference League by finishing sixth in Ligue 1, they were promoted to the Europa League due to Paris St-Germain’s victory in the Coupe de France, having already qualified for the Champions League.

Textor, who invested £90 million in Crystal Palace in 2021, holds approximately 45% of the club and 90% of Lyon. He was appointed as a director, joining co-owners Steve Parish, Josh Harris, and David Blitzer on the board.

In January 2022, he expanded his investment by acquiring stakes in Brazilian club Botafogo and Belgian side RWD Molenbeek, retaining control over both.

His ownership of Lyon commenced in June 2022. Although Eagle Football controls 45% of Crystal Palace, the club is not incorporated within the group’s multi-club framework, and they have not transferred any players from their affiliated clubs, save for Jake O’Brien’s prior transfer to Lyon.

Textor has previously expressed interest in acquiring a controlling stake in Palace, likely desiring overall influence. He has also looked into purchasing Everton and trying to sell his shares in Palace.

In a past interview, Textor clarified that, while he shares thoughts with the club’s chairman Parish, he does not oversee Palace’s operations; rather, he noted that they often disagree on matters related to multi-club ownership.

In a comparison, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis recently mitigated his control by placing his shares in a blind trust, especially as both Forest and Olympiakos, which he also owns, were in contention for Champions League qualification.

However, insiders suggest that establishing a similar trust for Palace shares is unfeasible as Textor and Eagle Football do not have definitive influence over the club at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace and UEFA have been requested to provide comments on this situation.