TL;DR
Crystal Palace beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in Leipzig on 27 May 2026 to win the UEFA Conference League and their first European trophy. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal in the 51st minute. Departing manager Oliver Glasner ends his Palace tenure with three trophies in two years. Palace will play in the Europa League next season.
Published: 27 May 2026
Key Facts
- Result: Crystal Palace 1-0 Rayo Vallecano, Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, 27 May 2026
- Scorer: Jean-Philippe Mateta, 51 minutes (rebound from Adam Wharton shot)
- Palace's first European trophy in their history
- Oliver Glasner's final game as Palace manager - departs with three trophies in two years
- Palace also won the FA Cup in 2025 - their first ever domestic title
- Palace qualify for UEFA Europa League 2026-27 as Conference League winners
- Third English club to win the Conference League after West Ham (2023) and Chelsea (2025)
Crystal Palace beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the UEFA Conference League final at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on Wednesday 27 May 2026, securing the first European trophy in the club's history. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal of the game in the 51st minute, converting a rebound after Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla parried a long-range effort from Adam Wharton.
How the match unfolded
The final was a tightly contested affair. Neither side managed a shot on target in the opening 30 minutes. Rayo had the first meaningful chance when Alemao skewed wide from close range with 25 minutes played, while Unai Lopez planted a side-footed effort just wide of the post shortly after.
Palace came closest before the break when Wharton delivered a searching lofted cross to the back post, but Tyrick Mitchell headed wide from close range. The chance seemed to galvanise Palace, who carried that momentum into the second half.
The breakthrough arrived six minutes after the restart. Wharton drove forward from midfield and fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box. Batalla got two hands to it but could only parry the ball directly into the path of Mateta, who reacted quickly to guide it into the net. The Frenchman, who had been linked with a move to AC Milan earlier in the season before the deal collapsed, settled any remaining uncertainty about his Palace future with the decisive contribution.
Palace nearly doubled their lead in the 55th minute when Yeremy Pino struck a free kick that rattled both posts. Mateta then spurned a one-on-one opportunity. Rayo pushed forward in search of an equaliser but could not find a way past a resolute Palace defence, and the Eagles held on for a historic victory.
Glasner's farewell
The win brought the curtain down on Oliver Glasner's time as Palace manager. The Austrian, who joined the club in February 2024, announced in January 2026 that he would leave at the end of the season. He departs having won three trophies in just over two years: the FA Cup in 2025 (Palace's first domestic title) and now the Conference League, making it the most decorated period in the club's history.
Glasner's record in knockout competitions is exceptional. He won the UEFA Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 before replicating that continental success with Palace. He becomes only the second manager in history to win the Europa League and then guide a different club to European glory, and joins an extremely short list of managers to win a major European trophy in their final game in charge of an English club.
"The difference he has made in two and a half years is incredible," Palace midfielder Adam Wharton said after the final whistle.
Wharton's World Cup snub backdrop
Wharton was arguably Palace's best player on the night, and his performance came days after England manager Thomas Tuchel omitted him from the squad for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The 22-year-old was composed, creative and influential throughout, and his shot directly led to the winning goal. The performance added significant weight to the debate around Tuchel's selection decisions.
Historic context and what happens next
Palace become the third English club to win the Conference League in its first five editions, following West Ham (2022-23) and Chelsea (2024-25). They are also the first club to win a major European trophy in their debut campaign in European competition since KV Mechelen won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1988.
The win guarantees Palace a place in the UEFA Europa League in 2026-27, which was Glasner's stated objective when the Conference League campaign began. Palace had originally qualified for the Europa League this season but were demoted to the Conference League due to multi-club ownership rules.
Brighton will represent England in the Conference League next season, and will attempt to follow Palace, West Ham and Chelsea in winning the competition.
Rayo Vallecano, who finished eighth in La Liga, will not be in European competition next season having lost their only route to qualification. They were the surprise package of this year's tournament, knocking out Chelsea's BlueCo stablemate Strasbourg in the semi-final, and were unbeaten in nine matches before Wednesday's final.
Who scored the winning goal for Crystal Palace?
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal of the 2026 Conference League final, converting a rebound in the 51st minute after goalkeeper Augusto Batalla parried Adam Wharton's shot from distance.
Where was the 2026 Conference League final played?
The final was played at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, on Wednesday 27 May 2026. The stadium hosted four matches at UEFA EURO 2024 and games at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
What European competition will Crystal Palace play in next season?
Crystal Palace will compete in the UEFA Europa League in 2026-27, having qualified by winning the Conference League. The Europa League place is guaranteed to the Conference League winners if they have not already qualified via their domestic league.
