Crystal Palace has announced in a press release that an agreement has been reached between co-owner John Textor and American businessman Robert Wood Johnson regarding the sale of the club. Although the Premier League still needs to approve the deal, fans are once again hopeful that Crystal Palace will play European football next season.
Embed from Getty Images
Last season marked a historic moment for Crystal Palace, as the South London club defied expectations by lifting the FA Cup a triumph that not only delivered silverware but also secured their first-ever qualification for a European competition.
Their place in the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League was a cause for celebration among fans and players alike, symbolizing a new chapter for a club that has spent much of its modern history oscillating between mid-table stability and relegation battles in the Premier League.
However, that dream was almost derailed due to an unforeseen ownership conflict. John Textor, the American businessman who became a major shareholder in Crystal Palace in 2021, also holds a controlling interest in French side Olympique Lyonnais. Lyon likewise qualified for the Europa League, setting up a direct conflict with UEFA's multi-club ownership rules. Those rules strictly prohibit two clubs with shared ownership from participating in the same European competition to protect the integrity of the tournament and avoid any potential conflicts of interest.
The rule left Crystal Palace in a vulnerable position. With Lyon boasting a significantly higher UEFA coefficient a ranking based on European performance over five seasons the French club would have retained its Europa League spot, leaving Palace at risk of being disqualified. While other multi-club owners, such as Evangelos Marinakis, who controls both Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos, have managed to navigate this landscape by establishing creative ownership structures and clearly delineated decision-making processes, Textor was reportedly too late in implementing a similar arrangement.
Faced with the growing possibility of Palace’s exclusion from Europe, Textor was compelled to take more drastic action. The only viable option to safeguard the club’s European dream was to divest his stake in Crystal Palace. That solution appears to have arrived just in time.
In an official statement, Crystal Palace confirmed that Robert Wood Johnson IV an American billionaire and co-owner of the NFL’s New York Jets has reached an agreement with John Textor for the purchase of a 43 percent stake in the club. The deal, valued at €222 million (approximately £188 million), represents a significant shift in the club’s ownership structure and potentially secures their eligibility for European football.
Wood Johnson is not new to high-level sports ownership. Aside from his NFL involvement, he previously served as the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom under President Donald Trump. His background in both diplomacy and business is seen by some as a promising sign for the club’s ambitions on and off the pitch. His investment could not only stabilize Palace’s position in Europe this season but also open new doors for commercial expansion and development.
While the sale is still subject to approval by both the Premier League and the Women's Super League, Crystal Palace stated in its announcement that it does not anticipate any hurdles in the process. Regulatory approvals are typically a formality when a buyer passes the standard fit and proper persons test especially in cases involving such high-profile and well-documented figures.
The club also took the opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of John Textor, who played a pivotal role in reshaping Palace’s trajectory in recent years. “We would like to thank John Textor for his contribution over the past four years and wish him all the best for the future,” read the club’s statement.
This change in ownership comes at a pivotal moment for Palace, who are preparing for a landmark season on multiple fronts. With a talented core of players, a passionate fanbase, and now, financial stability under new ownership, hopes are high that the club can make a lasting impression in their European debut.
UEFA is expected to confirm Palace’s eligibility for the Europa League in the coming weeks, once all administrative and regulatory hurdles have been cleared. For supporters who feared that off-field politics might rob them of a once-in-a-lifetime European campaign, the latest developments have brought a renewed sense of optimism and a genuine belief that the Eagles are ready to soar on the continental stage.
Updated: 03:06, 23 Jun 2025
