Crystal Palace will hold urgent talks with UEFA officials to save the club from being kicked out of next season’s Europa League competition.
The Eagles qualified for the competition after a historic victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 17th, securing their first-ever major trophy in the process.
However, Oliver Glasner’s side could be banned from competing due to multi-club ownership rules.
John Textor, who owns 45% of Crystal Palace through his company Eagle Football, also owns French club Lyon, which qualified for the Europa League following a sixth-place finish in Ligue 1.
Rules state that no individual is allowed to have significant influence over the running of two clubs that compete in the same UEFA competition.
Why Palace believe they’re in the clear
Despite the threat, Palace are confident no rules have been broken.
Textor holds just 25% of the voting rights, while chairman Steve Parish oversees all day-to-day operations at Palace.
Unlike other multi-club models, which see frequent player movement, Palace and Lyon have minimal interaction.
The only notable sale between the two was Jake O’Brien, a deal that happened nearly two years ago.
Because Eagle Football’s influence is limited, Palace are confident a resolution will be found.
What happens if Palace are banned?
If Palace are in breach of the rules, things worsen.
Their Europa League spot would be handed to Nottingham Forest, and their rivals, Brighton, would move into their Conference League spot.
There was a possibility that Palace could be demoted to the Conference League. However, that’s off the table, as Brøndby, owned by Palace shareholder Dave Blitzer, has already qualified for the competition.
Frustration amongst fans
Many Palace fans have taken to X to voice their opinion on the matter, and concern over the multi-club ownership isn’t new.
In 2023, Palace fans unveiled a banner at Selhurst Park that read: “multi-club ownership, stock market gambling, Textor, we don’t trust you.”
If UEFA does rule Palace out of European competition, expect another vocal reaction from the stands shortly.
