Crystal Palace is at risk of being excluded from the Europa League due to UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, as US businessman John Textor owns shares in both Palace and French club Lyon, both of which qualified for the competition.

UEFA prohibits clubs with the same ownership from competing in the same tournament. Palace argues this was an unforeseen issue, as their FA Cup win and Lyon’s qualification via a sixth-place finish and PSG’s French Cup victory were unexpected.

Palace’s executive chairman, Steve Parish, and Textor met with UEFA to argue that Palace operates independently, with no shared resources or collaboration with Lyon, and that Textor, holding about 30% of Palace shares, has no control over the club’s operations, which are led by Parish and partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer.

Textor is also willing to sell his Palace shares to comply with UEFA regulations, as he lacks significant influence at the club.

Palace insists this was a technical administrative error and is committed to meeting UEFA’s requirements to secure their Europa League spot.

Football finance and admin expert Kieran Maguire puts the chances of Crystal Palace retaining their Europa League spot secured by their FA Cup win at 95%.

“That 5% is creating an element of anxiety.”

“There is no desire for Crystal Palace to be excluded.

“It’s a paperwork issue. Palace, in hindsight, messed up on paperwork but they did not expect to win the FA Cup.

“Textor does not have a controlling influence at Palace.

“There is no real connection between Lyon and Palace but there are two individual investments which would appear to cross the line in terms of UEFA statutes.”

Kaveh Solhekol provides an update on Crystal Palace, who are are in danger of being removed from the Europa League by UEFA for breaking multi-club ownership rules 🌍 pic.twitter.com/0rDmb8KvNx

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 8, 2025

Football finance and admin expert Kieran Maguire puts the chances of Crystal Palace retaining their Europa League spot secured by their FA Cup win at 95%.But he said: “That 5% is creating an element of anxiety.” #cpfc

— Super Palace (@Patrickspups) June 6, 2025

🗣️ “All my dad wants is to go to ONE European away game!”

Kaveh Solhekol shares the thoughts of a Crystal Palace supporter and his 84-year old father as the club face potentially being removed from next season’s Europa League 🌍 pic.twitter.com/NckJ6lRmAj

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 8, 2025

: “Well, look, Crystal Palace will do whatever it takes to convince UEFA that they should be allowed to play in the Europa League next season. Palace are in danger of being removed from the competition by UEFA, for breaking UEFA’s multi club ownership rules. Now the US Businessman, John Textor, he owns shares in Palace, and he also owns shares in the French club Lyon.

“And now both clubs have qualified for the Europa League, and that has put Palace’s place at risk. UEFA’s rules, bank clubs with the same ownership group from playing in the same competition. Now you’re looking at me probably thinking, well, other clubs who are part of multi club ownership groups play in the same competitions. I think Manchester City and Girona, RB Leipzig, and Red Bull Salzburg, for instance. Now you AFA do have a way where you can get round their multi club ownership rules.

“And what you need to do is by the March 1st, you need to change the ownership structure of one of the two clubs. By the March 1st this year, that’s gone.

“Now in Palace’s case, on the March 1st, they did not think that they were going to win the FA Cup. Remember, they’ve never won a major trophy in their history. They didn’t think they were gonna win the FA Cup and qualify for the Europa League.

“Also, it looked very, very unlikely that Lyon would get into the Europa League. They’ve only got in, because of a series of unforeseen circumstances. They only finished six, in the French first division, I think, on goal difference on the final day of the season because Strasbourg, let in a last minute equaliser. Even then, finishing sixth didn’t get you into the Europa League. They got into the Europa League because PSG won the French Cup.

“And PSG, of course, were already in the Champions League. So then their slot, the cup winners usually get into the Europa League. That slot went to the team who finished sixth. And that was Lyon.

“And that’s how Lyon our Premier League has got gone a little bit. So lots of shuffling because of certain teams we’ve got. So I think Palace’s point is this was not done on purpose.

“It was a simple technical administrative error, and we can fix it as soon as possible. We can do whatever UEFA want us to do to make sure we comply with the regulations so that we can play in the Europa League.”

“So I mean, obviously, Palace fans, this is the worst possible news for them this morning. So are are those their only arguments? How how do they see it in terms of Palace?”

“Well, Crystal Palace’s executive chairman, Steve Parish, and also John Textor, went to a meeting at UEFA’s headquarters in Neon in Switzerland on Tuesday.

“And I believe they made a very compelling case about why Palace should be allowed to play in the Europa League.

“They told UEFA that John Textor personally owns, I think, around 30% of the shares in Crystal Palace.

“And, also, Palace are not run by John Textor. Everybody in football knows that Steve Parish, the executive chairman, basically runs Crystal Palace, backed by partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer.

“So John Textor doesn’t run Palace, first point. Second point, Palace earned their place in the Europa League by winning the FA Cup in thrilling fashion, by beating Manchester City. They deserve their place, and they are absolutely not part of a multi club ownership group. They are not part of a multi club ownership group. Palace are an independent South London club. And they don’t share any resources, staff with Leon, whatsoever.

“Very, very important. Because the reason people have multi club ownership groups is because they want to take advantage of being able to collaborate with other groups, share resources, share players, staff, data, transfer information, for instance. That does not happen at Palace. They do not collaborate with Lyon. Also, I think John Textor, wasn’t in a position to be able to foresee this happening because of the reasons we’ve just outlined.

“And he’s made it to clear to UEFA as well that he will do whatever they want to make sure, that Palace can play in the Europa League. And what’s more, we know that John Textor is trying to sell his shares in Palace because he’s frustrated that he doesn’t have enough control, at Palace. And they don’t fit in to his multi club ownership group, Eagle Football Holdings.

“There’s a good, column about this in The Telegraph today by Sam Wallace, and he makes the point that in football circles, everybody jokes that Jon Textor has the most expensive season ticket in the Premier League because he owns a share of Palace Yeah. But he doesn’t really have a say in it.

“It’s just like having a season ticket because, basically, everybody in football knows Steve Parish is the real, power and the one person who really makes, the decisions at Crystal Palace and runs the club.”

: As an @Everton ST holder I hope @CPFC are successful and are allowed to compete in Europe. They are there on merit.

: Palace are not part of a multi-club group; they have a shareholder in common with Lyon but they are not strategically linked. But what’s the point of the rules if you’re going to let the real multiclub groups get around it by shuffling papers around? Uefa have no teeth yet again

: How am on a Sunday morning in June cursing a last minute goal Strasbourg let in on the final day of the French season 😂 This was actually a good presentation of the circumstances. #CPFC

: Would be incredibly harsh, this. What a shit rule!!

: #cpfc have earned the right to play in the Europa League. I would be devastated for this proper football club. & their fans, who are amongst the best fanbases in football if they lost their place. Even if it meant my team benefitting.

: Obviously never going to complain if Nottingham Forest get Europa League football, but Crystal Palace really do deserve it. I know rules are rules, but football won when Palace won the FA Cup; not seeing them in Europe after such a triumph would be a travesty. #NFFC // #CPFC

: The entire football community should get behind @CPFC in their fight to play in the Europa League next season. You can bet your bottom dollar that one of the big clubs wouldn’t be put in this position. Football at the top end of the scale is vulgar and materialistic!!

: UEFA stop being utter w*nkers and just confirm #CPFC are in the Europa League next season. They earned that place in the UEL and I don’t want #NFFC in over there expense. How about you go after Man City, PSG, Inter, Chelsea & Barcelona – the financial f*cking dopers. #Caturday

: Don’t recall the same outcry #CPFC are getting for possibly being refused a Europa League place by #UEFA, when (already relegated) #Pompey were refused their place in the same competition due to ‘incomplete paperwork’ so the PL could give the place to Liverpool, back in 2010.

@shingy_ldn: If UEFA block Palace from the Europa League, fans should protest. They earned their place on merit. Meanwhile, Man City face 115 charges and Barcelona juggle finances with levers, yet Palace are the ones punished over an ownership technicality? What an actual piss take #CPFC