The confetti from Wembley has barely settled, but Crystal Palace’s historic FA Cup triumph is already being overshadowed by a growing controversy. Despite earning their place in the 2025/26 Europa League on the pitch, the Eagles may be kicked out of Europe—not because of results, but because of ownership rules. Let’s dive into a case that’s about much more than football regulations.
🏆 FA Cup Glory Against Manchester City – Not Nottingham Forest
On May 17, 2025, Crystal Palace lifted their first-ever FA Cup, beating Manchester City 1–0 in a dramatic final at Wembley. It was Eberechi Eze who scored the winning goal in the 16th minute, while goalkeeper Dean Henderson made a heroic penalty save to keep City at bay. It was a fairytale ending for Palace—and a moment of pure magic for their fans.
⚠️ Victory on the Pitch, Threat at UEFA HQ
Yet, barely weeks after that fairytale, UEFA is reviewing whether Palace should be disqualified from European competition. The issue? Multi-club ownership. American businessman John Textor:
- Owns 77% of French side Lyon 🇫🇷
- Owns 43% of Crystal Palace 🏴, but less than 30% of the voting rights
- Also has ties to Danish club Brøndby 🇩🇰
UEFA prohibits clubs with shared ownership from participating in the same European competitions. Palace, Lyon, and Brøndby all qualified—and now, something has to give.
📈 Why Lyon and Brøndby Would Stay
According to UEFA’s current stance, if two or more clubs breach multi-club rules, the ones with the strongest domestic performance get to stay. In this case:
- 🇫🇷 Lyon finished 5th in Ligue 1
- 🇩🇰 Brøndby finished 2nd in Denmark’s Superliga
- 🏴 Crystal Palace finished 14th in the Premier League, but won the FA Cup
As things stand:
- Lyon would stay in the Europa League
- Brøndby would remain in the Conference League
- Palace would be removed from all European competitions
🔁 What Happens If Palace Are Kicked Out?
If UEFA rules against Palace:
✅ Nottingham Forest, who lost the FA Cup final, would take the Europa League spot
✅ Brighton, 8th in the Premier League, would enter the Conference League
This would completely reshape England’s European allocation—and leave Palace fans furious.
🤝 A Plea for Fairness and Common Sense
Many argue that UEFA’s decision should consider context and fairness:
- 📊 Textor does not control Palace—he’s a minority shareholder with limited voting rights
- ❌ There is no active cooperation between Palace, Lyon, or Brøndby
- 📅 The UEFA ownership compliance deadline (March 1st) doesn’t make sense in Palace’s case—their qualification via the FA Cup happened much later
Palace didn’t even know they were going to qualify at the time of the deadline.
🗓️ When Will UEFA Make a Final Decision?
The decision is expected by late June, just before the draws for the new European season:
- Some sources expect an announcement by June 27th
- Others believe it may come during the week of June 17th
Until then, Palace’s European dream hangs by a thread.
🗣️ Final Word – Let the Fans Be Heard
Should a club that won the FA Cup on merit be punished over administrative complexities?
Should fans lose their moment in Europe because of technical ownership structures?
This is more than legal fine print. It’s about dreams, identity, and sporting justice.
Let us know what you think using #JusticeForPalace 🦅
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