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Crystal Palace's Europa League Hopes Revived Amid Potential Ownership Change Crystal Palace could be one step closer to securing a place in next season's Europa League, following an offer made to buy out current shareholder John Textor. The potential buyer is Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets NFL team. Textor, through his company Eagle Football, currently owns a 43 percent stake in Palace. However, Eagle Football also has a controlling interest in Lyon, another club that has qualified for the same European competition. This overlap violates UEFA's ownership rules, which are designed to prevent conflicts of interest by barring individuals or entities from holding controlling interests in multiple clubs participating in the same tournament. Palace executives recently traveled to UEFA headquarters in Switzerland to argue that Textor does not hold decisive control over the club and should not be considered in violation of the rules. UEFA is expected to rule on the matter by the end of the month. Should the sale to Johnson go through, it would resolve the ownership issue and likely allow Palace to compete in Europe. Textor has reportedly been looking to offload his Palace shares for some time, so the timing of Johnson's interest could prove crucial.
Who Is Woody Johnson and What Comes Next Woody Johnson, age 78, is no stranger to both sports and politics. He has owned the New York Jets since 2000 and served as the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom during Donald Trump’s first presidential term. Johnson has long been a Trump supporter and was even rumored to be considering stepping down from his role with the Jets to take on another diplomatic position in a future Trump administration. He has attended at least one Crystal Palace match in person, showing early interest in the club. If Johnson completes the purchase of Textor’s stake, it would mark a major shift in the club’s ownership and potentially usher in a new era of financial and strategic backing. With the UEFA deadline looming, this sale could be the decisive factor in ensuring Palace’s participation in European competition next season. For Palace fans, the possibility of Europa League football hinges not just on performance on the pitch but also on decisions made in the boardroom. Both Crystal Palace and the New York Jets have been approached for comment but have not publicly confirmed the reports. The outcome of this high-stakes ownership negotiation will likely have long-term implications for Palace’s ambitions and European prospects.
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