Woody Johnson Finalizes Crystal Palace Takeover from John Textor as Club Fights for Europa League Reinstatement
London, UK – July 24, 2025 | By Rita Uzuh for SpringnewsNG Media Limited
Crystal Palace Football Club has officially announced the completion of a major ownership transition as Woody Johnson, American billionaire and co-owner of the New York Jets, acquires a 43% stake in the club from former shareholder John Textor of Eagle Football Holdings. The deal, reportedly worth £190 million, positions Johnson as a partner and director alongside Steve Parish, Josh Harris, and David Blitzer.
The acquisition comes during a pivotal moment for Crystal Palace, who are currently in a dispute with UEFA regarding their qualification for the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League. The club is appealing a recent decision that demoted them to the UEFA Conference League due to Textor’s previous dual ownership interests in both Palace and French club Lyon, which also qualified for European competition.
Johnson Commits to Palace’s Vision and Future
In his first statement as co-owner, 78-year-old Johnson expressed deep admiration for Crystal Palace and its community, citing his connection to English football during his tenure as U.S. Ambassador to the UK.
“I am honoured and privileged to be joining the ownership group of Crystal Palace Football Club,” Johnson said via the club’s official website.
“This is more than an investment – it’s a commitment to realising the vision for the club, the community, and the culture around Selhurst Park.”
Chairman Steve Parish welcomed Johnson, emphasizing the importance of the new ownership era in sustaining and expanding the club’s recent successes.
“At this exciting time for Crystal Palace, we are delighted to be welcoming Woody to the ownership of the football club,” Parish stated. “We look forward to working with him to build on our historic recent success.”
Europa League Fate Hangs on CAS Ruling
The sale of Textor’s shares could prove crucial in Palace’s ongoing appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Earlier this month, UEFA ruled that Palace breached multi-club ownership regulations, leading to their demotion to the Conference League due to Textor’s ownership of Lyon.
Although the share transfer was finalized after UEFA’s March 1 deadline, Crystal Palace argue that the removal of any ownership overlap nullifies the conflict of interest. The club believes this should reinstate their rightful spot in the Europa League, and is confident the CAS will rule in their favor.
The CAS is expected to deliver its final verdict by August 11, 2025.
Background and Future Outlook
Under head coach Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace finished 12th in the Premier League last season and secured European qualification by winning the FA Cup. However, UEFA’s ownership ruling jeopardized their higher-tier continental placement.
Former owner John Textor, whose Eagle Football also owns 90% of Lyon, recently had a Ligue 1 relegation ruling reversed following an appeal against financial mismanagement claims.
With Woody Johnson now fully integrated into Palace’s leadership and Textor officially out, the South London club is hoping to leave controversy behind and focus on a successful 2025/26 campaign—both domestically and in Europe.
Stay tuned to SpringnewsNG for updates on Crystal Palace’s CAS appeal and the club’s upcoming European journey.
