Manchester United faces the possibility of being excluded from European competitions next season due to UEFA’s regulation prohibiting clubs owned by the same individual from participating against each other.
The acquisition of Manchester United by 71-year-old billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe was confirmed in December, marking the end of months of speculation.
Ratcliffe, along with his INEOS Group, invested nearly Β£1 billion for a 27.7% stake in the club, with plans to increase the investment to near 30% with an additional Β£238 million.
INEOS also owns Nice, a French club currently ranked fifth in Ligue 1 and poised for European football. UEFA has clarified that despite revisions to its rules, teams under the same ownership are not allowed to compete in the same competition.
A UEFA source confirmed to SunSport that Manchester United and Nice cannot participate in the same tournament but could potentially feature in different competitions, given the absence of inter-competition “feeding.”
Manchester United, currently trailing behind Tottenham and Aston Villa in European qualifying standings, could still vie for a European spot through the FA Cup.
However, if Manchester City secures the title, the additional league spot for European qualification would go to their opponent, likely Nice, overshadowing Manchester United’s chance.
In the event of a Europa League qualification through a fifth-place finish, Manchester United could slip into the Conference League, while Nice could face a similar fate if Manchester United secures an FA Cup victory this season.
In case both teams qualify for the Champions League, the spot would be awarded to the higher-ranked team in their respective leagues, with Manchester United receiving preference due to England’s high UEFA coefficient ranking.
