Palace Faces Europa Ban Over Owner's Stakes

Crystal Palace, having won the FA Cup and qualified for their first-ever Europa League appearance, is at risk of exclusion due to UEFA's multi-club ownership rules. Co-owner John Textor holds a 43% stake in Palace and also owns French club Lyon, which has likewise qualified for the Europa League, creating a regulatory conflict. Palace executives have already attended emergency UEFA meetings in Switzerland to argue there is no operational overlap and are considering options such as Textor selling his stake. The possibility of dropping to the Conference League is complicated by Textor's co-ownership of Danish club Brøndby. If Palace is barred, Premier League rivals Brighton could take their place. UEFA is expected to deliver a final decision later this month.