Crystal Palace owner Steve Parish hints at surprising second club purchase to comply with fresh regulations

Steve Parish considers acquiring a second football club to navigate what he describes as overly restrictive regulatory requirements. Crystal Palace’s owner believes the new regulations are fundamentally flawed and is exploring alternative ownership structures that other Premier League organizations have already adopted.

Palace earned European competition by winning the FA Cup but faced demotion to the Conference League due to Uefa’s multi-club ownership restrictions. Parish argues the club operated independently and should not have faced this penalty, claiming the decision was unjust and damages their competitive standing.

Multiple Premier League clubs already operate multi-club systems, including Chelsea with Strasbourg, Manchester United with Nice, Brighton with Hearts, and Nottingham Forest with Olympiacos. These established models demonstrate how owners can structure their portfolios to manage financial constraints more flexibly across different jurisdictions.

Starting in the 2026/27 season, Premier League clubs will face the Squad Cost Ratio rule, limiting spending to 85 percent of football-related revenue and net profit from player sales. This mirrors Uefa’s stricter 70 percent limit, creating an increasingly restrictive financial environment that Parish believes unfairly disadvantages mid-tier aspirational clubs with limited revenue growth potential.

Parish voted against this amendment, questioning why specific clubs should face tighter restrictions. He warns the rules will widen the gap between wealthy elite clubs and others, forcing successful mid-table teams to sell assets rather than invest. He emphasizes that not all clubs possess London’s geographic advantages for stadium expansion and revenue generation through hospitality.

Despite these regulatory challenges, Parish views the club’s current ownership structure positively. The capital base available from modern ownership represents significant progress for Crystal Palace’s infrastructure development compared to previous ownership periods.