Crystal Palace could be crowned European champions on Wednesday night, a remarkable achievement for a club that, just over a year ago, had never won a major honour. Victory over Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena would cap an extraordinary 12 months and trigger celebrations across south London.
European glory in sight
The Eagles face the Spanish side at 8pm BST in their first-ever European final, a contest that marks both the end of manager Oliver Glasner’s tenure and the culmination of an improbable continental journey. Palace qualified for the Europa League by winning last season’s FA Cup, but were subsequently demoted to the Conference League under UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules. The regulations, triggered by majority owner John Textor’s stakes in both Palace and Olympique Lyonnais, cost the club an estimated £20m in lost revenue.
Glasner, who departs after this match, has already secured a Community Shield and the FA Cup during his time at Selhurst Park. A win in Leipzig would add a European trophy to that haul and guarantee Palace a place in next season’s Europa League. The financial rewards are substantial: reaching the quarter-finals alone earned €1.3m (£1.12m), bringing Palace’s total campaign prize money to €10.9m (£9.45m) by that stage, with victory worth approximately £6m.
The squad will need to overcome significant injury concerns. Adam Wharton and Chris Richards have trained after ankle problems but face late fitness tests, while Borna Sosa is a major doubt. Eddie Nketiah (thigh) and Cheick Doucouré (unspecified) are ruled out. Glasner has insisted only players who are 100 per cent fit will start. “Laugh, smile, and be yourselves,” he told his players. “For me the best thing would be of course winning tomorrow, but not for winning tomorrow, but because then they’d play European football in the Europa League next year and then they would get next year what we should have got this year.”
FA Cup parade: a blueprint for celebration
If Palace do lift the trophy, they are expected to stage another open-top bus parade in the streets around Selhurst Park, following the same programme that marked last May’s FA Cup triumph. That event, which took place on Monday, 26 May 2025, remains the template for how the club would celebrate a Conference League win.
The FA Cup parade began at 12.45pm, with the squad travelling in an open-top bus from the top of Whitehorse Lane, turning onto Park Road, completing a half-lap of the stadium, and finishing on Holmesdale Road. The procession lasted roughly one hour before arriving at Selhurst Park, where a stage had been set up inside the ground for players and staff to address supporters. Access to the “party on the pitch” required a free ticket, which had to be pre-booked via the club’s website and was fully allocated in advance. The event inside the stadium started at 2.30pm, featured live entertainment, special guests, end-of-season awards and a trophy presentation, and was livestreamed on Palace’s social media channels.
Road closures were enforced across southeast London for the duration, including Holmesdale Road, Park Road, Sangley Road, Clifton Road and a considerable stretch of Whitehorse Lane. Supporters were strongly advised not to drive due to expected congestion, and additional train services were laid on. A ticketing system was introduced for the Selhurst Park event, with fans told not to leave and re-enter the stadium once inside.
What a Conference League parade might look like
Palace have not yet confirmed prospective parade plans should they win on Wednesday, but the club is expected to follow a similar programme, given the parallels between the two achievements. The same route, timings and ticketing procedures are likely, though details will not be announced until after the final. Last year, plans were only confirmed once the FA Cup had been secured. The club’s experience of organising such an event means a repeat would be straightforward, and the scale of the celebration could match or exceed the FA Cup victory, given the European dimension and Glasner’s emotional farewell.
Fans, who have expressed dissatisfaction with UEFA throughout the season – leading to disciplinary cases and fines – would nevertheless relish the chance to welcome the trophy home. Glasner captured the sentiment when he told supporters: “What I can promise is that we will give everything we have to bring it here back to Selhurst. You deserve that success.”
Rayo Vallecano, who finished eighth in La Liga and have not lost in over a month, are also chasing their first European trophy. Their only previous continental campaign ended in the 2000-01 UEFA Cup quarter-finals, and they will be without injured defender Luiz Felipe. Ilias Akhomach, Diego Mendez and Carlos Martin are doubts, but Isi Palazón is available after serving a domestic suspension. Palace’s supporters will hope the occasion brings out the best in Glasner’s side as they look to write a new chapter in the club’s history.
