Crystal Palace’s FA Cup win secures Europa League football for next season. Only sixth place now guarantees Europa League, while seventh leads to the Conference League.
LONDON WORLD
A look at what the FA Cup final result means for Chelsea, Brentford and Fulham as all three chase European qualification
Crystal Palace are FA Cup champions for the first time in their history after they defeated Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Eberechi Eze put the Eagles ahead in what was a dramatic first-half.
Dean Henderson probably should have been sent off for a handball outside the area, and the goalkeeper then became the hero, saving an Omar Marmoush penalty and producing a world-class save shortly after. Palace defended admirably in the second half and secured a historic first-ever major trophy. Here we take a look at what the win means for those chasing Europe in the Premier League.
What does Crystal Palace’s FA Cup win mean for Brentford, Chelsea and Fulham?
Crystal Palace winning the FA Cup effectively means that they have secured Europa League football for next season. That means that only sixth place is a Europa League position, with the top five qualifying for the Champions League. Seventh place will now be a Conference League position, and eighth is no longer a European spot.
For Chelsea, that means that if they miss out on the Champions League, which is looking increasingly unlikely, they will have to finish in sixth to reach the Europa League. Seventh would be a Conference League spot unless they finished there and won their Conference League final, in which case they would still secure Europa League qualification via the tournament winner route.
As for Brentford and Fulham, Palace’s win means they have been eliminated from European qualification. Neither side can catch Nottingham Forest in seventh place with only two games remaining. It’s a crushing blow for both London sides, who have both enjoyed superb campaigns.
Palace heading for Europe
Crystal Palace will play in the Europa League in the 2025/26 season, and it is their first real European qualification. Their only previous experience of Europe came in the 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup, but that was a very different competition. Teams had to apply and get invited to play in that competition, and it was not qualification-based.