- Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano in Conference League final
- The South Londoners will earn millions win or lose
- Club could use prize money for summer business
There is plenty on the line tonight when Crystal Palace face Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final. The two sides do battle at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany.
The winners of the match are crowned the 2025-26 Conference League champions and win the club’s first European trophy. They also earn their place in next season’s Europa League, a competition Palace should have been in this season.
For the Eagles, it also allows Oliver Glasner to bid farewell with another trophy added to his list of remarkable achievements. The Austrian’s final game in charge sees him manage the South London outfit in their first-ever European final.
Crystal Palace potential prize money
From a financial standpoint, Palace will be eager to win the trophy and pick up prize money that will come in handy for Steve Parish’s transfer chiefs. Should the Eagles beat Rayo, they will be €7m (£5.90m).
That is a nice bonus on top of winning the competition, qualifying for the Europa League and Glasner ending his reign with a European trophy. The South Londoners have been earning prize money throughout the Conference League campaign with each stage they have advanced to.
Palace didn’t start their debut European campaign well and finished 10th in the league phase. This forced Glasner’s men to book their place in the knockout rounds via a playoff win over Bosnian minnows Zrinjski Mostar.
Since then, it’s been smooth sailing for the Premier League club, who prevailed over AEK Larnaca in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 win on aggregate. They then defeated Fiorentina 4-2 across both legs of the quarter-finals before making the final with a 5-2 aggregate win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals.
How much do runners-up get?
If Palace lose and have to accept runners-up medals, they are still rewarded with prize money. UEFA will hand over €4m (£3.37m) to tonight’s losing team, hopefully the Spaniards.
Staying in Europe would undoubtedly help the Eagles build for the future and might be decisive in their bid to replace Glasner with their preferred candidate. Andoni Iraola is the top choice ahead of his Bournemouth departure while Lens’ Pierre Sage is also under consideration.
