Manchester United’s potential participation in next season’s UEFA Champions League has become a complicated issue, even though they are in a position to qualify by winning the Europa League. Under normal circumstances, lifting the Europa League trophy grants a club automatic qualification for the following season’s Champions League group stage. This rule continues to apply for the upcoming 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons. Therefore, if Manchester United defeats Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final, they would typically be assured of a spot in the Champions League, irrespective of their underwhelming performance in the English Premier League this season.
However, recent developments surrounding the club’s ownership have introduced significant complications that could impact this otherwise guaranteed path to Europe’s top club competition. UEFA is currently investigating a potential conflict of interest that arises from Manchester United’s ownership structure. The issue centers on the involvement of INEOS, the petrochemical giant that took full control of Manchester United’s football operations in 2024. While INEOS oversees the football side of Manchester United, it also holds a significant ownership stake in French club OGC Nice, a team that is also competing for Champions League qualification through their position in Ligue 1.
This dual involvement poses a potential breach of UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, which are designed to preserve the integrity of European competitions by preventing two clubs with shared ownership from participating in the same UEFA tournament. The rules are in place to avoid any possible conflicts of interest or the appearance of impropriety when clubs with the same controlling stakeholders face off or compete in the same competition.
If both Manchester United and OGC Nice qualify for the Champions League—United through the Europa League and Nice via their domestic league performance—UEFA will be forced to step in and make a decision. In the past, similar cases have led to one club being asked to forfeit its European spot to comply with the regulations. The governing body typically prioritizes the club that secured qualification through their domestic league over one that qualified via a secondary route, such as winning the Europa League.
Consequently, even if Manchester United emerges victorious in the Europa League final, their participation in the next Champions League season is not guaranteed. The outcome may ultimately hinge on how UEFA interprets and enforces its regulations regarding club ownership and conflict of interest. Until UEFA reaches a decision, Manchester United’s Champions League hopes remain uncertain, despite what would otherwise be a straightforward route through European
success.
