Crystal Palace’s Europa League Ambitions Amid Ownership Scrutiny

Posted on June 11, 2025 by SoccerPunter

Crystal Palace is experiencing unique problems when it comes to their Europa League ambitions.  They are having one of the best seasons in a long time, and the victory over Manchester City has secured them a spot in the Europa League.  However, legal and regulatory reasons may prevent the team from qualifying.

The team has already expressed its confidence that it will qualify and play in the Europa League, but experts are looking into the ownership structure that’s preventing it from qualifying.

What Happened?

The Eagles shocked everyone with their win against Manchester City, which also earned them a passage into Europe.  However, the team’s largest shareholder is John Textor, who is also the owner of Lyon.  If Lyon qualifies for the Europa League, it would violate the rules on multi-club ownership.

Victory over Manchester City came as a surprise even for the crypto sports betting sites, such as the ones found here,  that have set the odds against Crystal Palace. As noted by experts from Cryptomaniaks, using crypto to make wagers, allows betting sites to accept bets instantly, reflecting the sudden change on the field.  However, the experts and analysts saw it coming due to how well the team has been performing lately.  The attacking momentum was on the side of Man City the whole game, but live bettors could take advantage of a few fast counter-attacks Palace managed in the final minutes of the match.

The Ownership Issue

UEFA rules state that no person is permitted to control two clubs that are competing in the same UEFA-run competition.  Lyon owner John Textor also owns a company called Eagle Football Holding, and that company owns 45 percent of Crystal Palace.  The legal issue is whether those 45 percent constitute “ownership.”

Textor is the co-owner, alongside Josh Harris and David Blitzer, and the chair is Steve Parish.  However, the regulation states that the owner is someone who is “able to exercise by any means a decisive influence in the decision-making of the club.”  Textor does have the ability to do so with his 45 percent, but Crystal Palace will argue that, at this point, Eagle Football Holding doesn’t run the club in any way.

Talks about Selling the Team

Textor has also made it publicly known that he plans to sell the team or at least his share of it.  He held public talks with his co-owners about the subject, and the objects ranged from Textor acquiring their shares to selling his shares off completely.  That’s because Textor wasn’t pleased with his lack of control over the team and wanted to either acquire enough shares to gain that control or let go of it entirely.

This was publicly reported in the media, and Palace will probably use it to prove that Textor doesn’t control both teams or at least it doesn’t control the Eagles.

Will it be necessary to Deal with the Issue?

The problem will only arise if both teams qualify for the Europa League.  At this point, it’s not certain that it will happen.  Palace has qualified for sure, but a few things need to line up.  In order for Lyon to qualify, PSG needs to win against Reims in the French Cup Finals.  That’s most likely to happen, but it’s never a certainty.

At this point, both teams are preparing and acting as if they are certain they will qualify and that the ownership won’t present a problem.

How Have Others Handled It?

A similar issue arose with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who’s also the owner of the Greek club Olympiakos.  There’s a good chance that both teams will qualify for the Europa League, and no one disputes that Marinakis controls both of them.

Marinakis put his shares of Nottingham Forest in a blind trust to avoid the regulations, but it was widely reported that he continues exerting influence over the team, even after relinquishing the shares.  For instance, Marinakis is allowed to visit matches.  He’s not restricted from any part of the stadium or banned from talking with the management.

Palace’s Chances

Crystal Palace has one of the best seasons in years.  The VA victory against Manchester City has also bolstered its morale.  The team has depth in both defense and attack rosters.  It also has expert guidance from the manager, Oliver Glasner.

However, it’s not yet known who the Eagles will play against, but the first match of the Europa League is scheduled for September 2025.

To Sum Up

Crystal Palace qualified for the European League after a win against Manchester City.  However, Lyon could also qualify for the same league, and the two teams would have the same owners.  This is against the league’s policy, and it may mean that Crystal Palace will have to give up on the competition.

The team, however, claims that it won’t be an issue since Textor is just a co-owner and doesn’t have control over the management.