Manchester United are reportedly set to be allowed to compete in the Europa League next season alongside INEOS-owned French side OGC Nice. United, who finished eighth in the Premier League, secured their spot in UEFA’s secondary competition with a victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
UEFA’s Multi-Club Ownership Rules
Concerns initially emerged regarding United’s participation in the competition due to UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, which state that two clubs with the same owners cannot compete in the same competition unless specific conditions are met. INEOS currently owns a 27% stake in United, and further planned investment would see their stake rise above UEFA’s 30% threshold for multi-club ownership rules to apply. INEOS fully owns Nice, having taken over the club in 2019.
Approval for United and Nice
According to The Times, UEFA’s Club Financial Control Board (CFCB) is set to rule on the matter on Monday, June 3. It is expected that United will be given approval to play alongside Nice. This ruling also affects Manchester City, whose sister club Girona qualified for the Champions League after finishing third in La Liga. Both clubs, owned by the City Football Group, are reportedly set to be allowed to compete alongside each other.
Transitional Season and Future Judgments
The 2024-25 European season will be considered a transitional one, with stricter judgments anticipated in future seasons. The CFCB is expected to stipulate that Girona and Nice should be operated via a “blind trust” managed by a panel approved by UEFA. This model was previously applied to AC Milan and Toulouse at the beginning of the last season when both clubs, owned by Red Bird Capital, qualified for the Champions League and Europa League, respectively.
The ruling to allow both Manchester United and Nice to compete highlights UEFA’s flexibility for the upcoming season while ensuring that compliance with multi-club ownership rules will be more rigorously enforced in the future.