Crystal Palace’s brilliant FA Cup final victory over Manchester City last month didn’t just see the club claim their first-ever major trophy, but it also meant they had earned a place in the 2025/26 Europa League.
However, Crystal Palace fans’ dreams of a European tour had to be put on ice, as the threat of UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules put their qualification in limbo.
That’s because Palace co-owner John Textor also co-owns French side Lyon, whose sixth-place Ligue 1 finish meant they too had qualified for the Europa League, with UEFA rules preventing teams under the same ownership from competing in the same European competitions.
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Crystal Palace’s Europa League fate wait goes on
A general view inside the stadium as fans of Crystal Palace displays banners in support of their side prior to the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Everton at Selhurst Park on December 12, 2021 in London, England.
Palace are still hoping thtey will be hosting Europa League football next season(Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
This situation had been muddied by Lyon’s subsequent relegation to Ligue 2 by the French authorities, on account of the club’s poor finances, while Textor had also agreed to sell his stake in the Eagles.
Textor is currently in the process of selling Palace to Woody Johnson, owner of NFL franchise New York Jets, and has also resigned from his leadership role at Lyon, and had been expecting a decision to be made on Palace’s European fate on Monday.
Joel Ward holds the FA Cup trophy ahead of Crystal Palace's Premier League game against Wolves in May 2025.
Palace's Joel Ward shows off the FA Cup(Image credit: Getty Images)
However, with Lyon appealing their demotion to Ligue 2, UEFA have decided to wait until that process plays out. Should Lyon fail in their efforts to overturn their relegation, they have agreed to relinquish their Europa League spot.
That would open the door for Palace to compete in the Europa League, but it is not clear how long this appeal will take, with UEFA saying updates will be given in ‘due course’.
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With Palace now playing the waiting game, Irish side Drogheda United and Slovakian club Dunajska Streda have been expelled from the Conference League after UEFA concluded their investigation into the same breaches.
“The CFCB First Chamber has decided to postpone its assessment of the multi-club ownership case involving Olympique Lyonnais and Crystal Palace,” UEFA said in a statement.
US CEO and owner of Olympique Lyonnais (OL) John Textor delivers a press conference at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu on May 9, 2023, the day after he decided to end the contract of OL's historic CEO Jean-Michel Aulas. Jean-Michel Aulas' departure was planned but it has been hastened. He has handed over the controls of Olympique Lyonnais to American businessman John Textor, a thunderous move in Lyon that marks the end of a historic era.
Palace co-owner John Texor(Image credit: JEFF PACHOUD/AFP via Getty Images)
"This postponement relates to Olympique Lyonnais' compliance with the settlement agreement concluded with the CFCB First Chamber for its breach of the financial sustainability requirements. As part of this settlement, Olympique Lyonnais agreed on an exclusion from the 2025/26 UEFA club competitions should the French authority (DNCG) confirm the club's relegation to Ligue 2.
"Further details on this multi-club ownership case and this settlement agreement will be communicated in due course."