Textor is departing Palaceplaceholder image
Textor is departing Palace | AFP via Getty Images
Crystal Palace should be well on their way to competing in the Europa League.
Crystal Palace are now all-but certain to be playing European football next season after a significant boost. The Eagles secured their first-ever European qualification at the back-end of last season, winning the FA Cup, also for the first time in their history.
But as fans began renewing or dusting off their passports, there was instant concern over whether Palace would be allowed to compete in the Europa League next season.
UEFA has rules that can prevent two clubs with the same owner from competing in the same European competition. Clubs have to prove that the two clubs are run completely independently, and if they can’t, the lowest-ranked team drops out based on league position in the preceding season. That would have been Palace compared to Olympique Lyon, who also had John Textor as an owner.
But lots has changed in recent weeks, including Lyon being Administratively relegated from Ligue 1 due to injury issues. The biggest change is that Textor has now officially left Crystal Palace to make way for a takeover from American businessman Woody Johnson, who is a pretty controversial owner of the New York Jets in the NFL.
Johnson made his name in private finance but comes from an extremely wealthy family. He is the heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune.
More importantly for now, Companies House has confirmed that Textor has left Palace after a filing was made on June 30. They confirm that Textor actually left the club on June 18 and that he is no longer a director at Selhurst Park. That change means Palace should be cleared to compete in Europe, and with Johnson not connected to any other football club, there is no concern there, either, though UEFA may want to see the sale go through before making a decision.
Another factor is that Lyon have appealed the French FA’s decision to relegate them to Ligue 2, and if they fail in that appeal, they have agreed to be removed from the UEFA competitions, a scenario that would guarantee Palace’s participation.
A UEFA statement confirmed: "Finally, the CFCB First Chamber has decided to postpone its assessment of the multi-club ownership case involving Olympique Lyonnais and Crystal Palace. 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."
Eze’s plea
We haven’t heard much about Palace’s legal fight with UEFA of late, but Eberechi Eze, who may or may not be at the club next season, said in June: “I really hope that that's not the case and I hope that Palace do get the reward for that (FA Cup win), because of what it took to actually achieve it.
"It would be a huge shame if that was the case, but I'm trusting that it will work out in the end. I'm sure it will work itself out and it should work itself out, because there are players who have worked to be in this position. There are fans who have been with the team throughout the whole season and experienced everything. It would be unfortunate, but I'm positive that it won't be the case."
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