Crystal Palace won the FA Cup in May against Manchester City, the biggest trophy in the history of this team from South London, and will play in European football for the first time. The win at the domestic competition warranted a ticket to Europa League, despite finishing twelfth in the league (with a record 53 points for Premier League).
However, UEFA's multi-club ownership rules have caused Crystal Palace to be demoted to Conference League, the third-tier UEFA competition. This was to be expected, and Crystal Palace's only hope was the unexpected demotion of Lyon to second division in France (Ligue 2) for financial issues... that was later overturned.
Lyon and Crystal Palace were owned by the same company, Eagle Football Holdings, owned by American businessman John Textor, who also owned Botafogo from Brazil. While Textor sold his stakes, around £190 million in the English club (to Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Nets), this happened in June 2025, months after UEFA's deadline of 1 March 2025. Attempts by Palace to say that Textor didn't have a controlling influence on the team were fruitless.
With Olympique Lyon safely in Ligue 1 and Europa League (and preference over Crystal Palace as they finished in a better league position, sixth in Ligue 1), Crystal Palace will play Conference League play-offs, and Nottingham Forest, seventh in Premier League last season, could take Palace's spot in the Europa League.