Crystal Palace fans are celebrating another historic trophy win for the club.
Jean-Philippe Mateta was the hero as the Eagles defeated LaLiga side Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in Wednesday night’s tense Conference League final in Leipzig.
Is is Palace’s first-ever European title in their long history, achieved in their maiden campaign on the continent after winning last season’s FA Cup.
It delivered the perfect send-off for outgoing manager Oliver Glasner, who was taking charge of his final game before leaving Selhurst Park this summer upon the expiration of his contract.
The Austrian departs after a truly remarkable two years that has seen him become Palace’s most successful manager, having already delivered their maiden major trophy 12 months ago with that stunning upset of Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
They returned to Wembley three months later to pick up the Community Shield, beating Liverpool on penalties on another unforgettable occasion for a club which was on the verge of liquidation only 16 years ago before more recently becoming pigeonholed for annual mid-table mediocrity in the Premier League.
Palace’s latest victory earns them a spot in the league phase of next season’s Europa League, a competition they were demoted from last summer by UEFA in controversial fashion and dropped into the Conference League play-off round.
The 13,000 Palace fans with a match ticket inside the Red Bull Arena certainly made their voices heard on Wednesday, along with the visual impact of their stunning tifo work and a number of flares, while plenty of others made the trip to Saxony in eastern Germany in order to soak up the atmosphere on arguably the biggest night in their history.
Around 10,000 supporters who did not go to Leipzig instead attended a final viewing party and watched the match on big screens at Selhurst Park, where there was a jubilant pitch invasion following the full-time whistle.
A magic evening for Crystal Palace and the 10,000+ supporters at Selhurst Park #CPFC pic.twitter.com/YggH76ecDa
— Sam Tabuteau (@tabuteauS) May 27, 2026
There were also huge celebrations over at BOXPARK Croydon, where there were more Palace fans watching the game and toasting the club’s success - as they did following the FA Cup final last year.
The celebrations continued long into the night as south London is painted red and blue after another momentous achievement this season for a club from the capital, following Arsenal’s first Premier League title success for 22 years, which was confirmed last week.
The Gunners could yet add the Champions League to their cabinet for the first time as they take on holders Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on Saturday night, with their trophy parade scheduled for Sunday.
Palace fans eagerly await confirmed details of their own trophy parade, 12 months on from the open-top bus celebration that followed their FA Cup triumph.
