Manchester United and Nice will be permitted to compete in next season’s Europa League despite concerns regarding Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS’ co-ownership of both clubs, Soccernet.football understands.
United finished eighth in the Premier League this season and looked set to play only domestic football in the 2024/2025 campaign before a surprise 2-1 victory over Man City in the FA Cup final sealed them a spot in next season’s Europa League.
Nice on the other hand, secured their Europa League qualification with a fifth place finish in Ligue 1, causing concerns over the eligibility of both clubs due to Ratcliffe’s ownership of the French side and minority stake at Manchester United.
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UEFA rules stipulate that two teams under the same ownership cannot compete in the same competition. Since Nice had a higher league finish, there was a risk that the Red Devils could be relegated to the Conference League.
However, according to a report by The Times, Manchester United and Nice will both be allowed to play in the Europa League next season with UEFA’s Club Financial Control Board set to confirm this decision within the next couple of weeks.
Current regulations state that two competing clubs cannot have over 30% ownership from the same group. Ratcliffe owns a 25% stake at United and as a result, his co-ownership of both clubs does not violate these rules.
Girona’s qualification for next season’s Champions League also caused similar concerns for Manchester City as both clubs share an affiliation with City Football Group. However they will both be permitted to play in the competition.
