Crystal Palace’s historic FA Cup triumph has lost some of its shine after UEFA confirmed the Eagles will be removed from next season’s Europa League due to a breach of its multi-club ownership rules.
Palace had sealed a place in the Europa League for the 2025/26 campaign after stunning Manchester City in May’s FA Cup final, but the club’s largest shareholder, John Textor, also owns French side Lyon, who qualified for the same competition by finishing sixth in Ligue 1.
Under UEFA rules, two clubs controlled by the same individual or ownership group cannot compete in the same European competition if that owner has what UEFA calls “decisive influence” over both teams.
Textor, who owns significant shares in both Palace and Lyon, argued before UEFA’s ruling that he did not wield full control at Selhurst Park, and even sold his 43% stake to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and stepped down from leadership roles at Lyon in a bid to resolve the conflict.
However, these moves did not meet UEFA’s strict March 1 deadline for changes in control.
Palace’s situation grew more complicated when Lyon, who had been relegated to Ligue 2 due to financial issues, won their appeal this week to stay in France’s top flight, allowing them to claim their Europa League place.
UEFA’s decision means Palace will now drop down into the UEFA Conference League instead, a disappointment for fans who had been preparing for big European nights next season.
The club can still appeal, but as it stands, the Eagles will have to settle for Europe’s third-tier competition despite lifting the FA Cup for the first time since 1990.
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