Manchester United ‘may face relegation from the Europa League’ despite FA Cup heroics

Manchester United qualified for next season’s Europa League campaign with their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City, but their place in the competition is under threat.

Manchester United’s berth in next season’s Europa League is in jeopardy following their FA Cup victory, and it all comes down to INEOS’ ownership of French club Nice.

The Red Devils won the trophy for the second year in a row after defeating Manchester City 2-1 in the Wembley final on Saturday (May 25). Despite finishing ninth in the Premier League, the victory qualified them for the group stage of the European competition the following season.

However, UEFA’s multi-club ownership regulations could still throw a wrench in the works. These rules are intended to prevent two clubs controlled by the same entity from participating in the same tournament.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS now has a 27% share in United, but aims to invest another £245 million in the club. According to the Mirror, this investment would increase their ownership position to more over 30%, exceeding UEFA’s multi-club ownership requirement.

Meanwhile, they are the sole owners of Ligue 1 club Nice, which finished sixth in France’s top league and qualified for next season’s Europa League. If INEOS cannot find a solution, one of its clubs may be relegated to the UEFA Conference League.

Nice would normally keep their Europa League spot due to their higher league result, compared to United’s eighth place. However, it is still unclear which club, if any, will be relegated to Europe’s third-tier league, where Chelsea are the top seeded club for 2024/25.