Crystal Palace’s problems should come as a warning to Everton

We all want to go on European adventures, but can Everton lose this opportunity because of the Friedkin Group’s dual ownership? Should the owners learn from the Crystal Palace experience and begin preparing?

 

When Crystal Palace won the FA Cup in May of last year, the European stage was in the back of their minds, but now that it’s here, there’s a chance they’ll be eliminated from the UEFA Europa League before they even get started.

This unexpected turn of events is the result of UEFA’s tough dual ownership restrictions, which ban two clubs with the same owner from competing in the same European competition in order to maintain sports integrity and avoid conflicts of interest.

The issue for Crystal Palace arose as a result of American businessman John Textor’s considerable minority holding in the Premier League club and his complete ownership of French club Olympique Lyonnais. Lyon’s appeal from Ligue 1 relegation was successful, and they now have a spot in the Europa League for the 2025/26 season, triggering UEFA’s multi-club ownership restrictions.

Despite Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish’s claims that Textor’s influence was limited at Selhurst Park, UEFA found the relationship to be “decisive influence,” resulting in a decision that Lyon would take the Europa League spot due to their superior domestic league performance.

Crystal Palace will be relegated to the Conference League as a result of this decision, a severe setback for a team celebrating its first major championship in history and promising a Europa League adventure. Crystal Palace has indicated that they would appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), hoping to restore their hard-earned Europa League spot.

While the situation at Crystal Palace presents its own issues, it should also serve as a clear message to Everton. A comparable scenario on Merseyside could be much more troublesome, particularly given Friedkin Group’s dual ownership.

This US-based company, owned by Dan Friedkin and his family, currently has an expanding portfolio of football clubs, including Italian powerhouses AS Roma and, as of December 2024, English Premier League club Everton. Roma have a solid track record of qualifying for Europe, and with Everton hoping to follow suit under their new regime, tensions may arise.

If both teams qualify for the Champions League or Europa League, one will be compelled to withdraw, presumably being relegated to a lower-tier league or eliminated outright.

 

Such an outcome would be profoundly unjust to whichever club is punished, especially after they secured European qualification based on their performances. While it may appear premature to discuss Everton in this environment, confidence under new ownership is justified.

 

If the club starts the Premier League season strongly and climbs into the top six, this issue will become more than just a hypothetical. It is a scenario that both UEFA and the Friedkin Group must handle proactively to ensure that future sporting achievements are not jeopardised by ownership complications.