INEOS confident Manchester United and Nice can both play Europa League next season
Manchester United's co-owner, INEOS, is said to be confident that the Manchester club will be allowed to compete in the Europa League next season despite UEFA rules that restrict multiple clubs with shared ownership from participating in the same competition.
United’s FA Cup win at the weekend see the club arrive in next season’s Europa League draw alongside Nice, which is also owned by INEOS Sport.
INEOS has been in direct dialogue with UEFA to find a solution to this conflict, according to press reports, which added that the company is confident that the clubs will still participate in the competition.
An independent panel is expected to make a decision on the matter before the Europa League qualifying rounds begin in July.
In the past, similar ownership issues have been resolved by altering ownership structures.
The INEOS spokesperson stated, "We are aware of the position of both clubs and are in direct dialogue with UEFA. We are confident we have a route forward for next season in Europe".
If a solution is not reached, Manchester United could be relegated to the Europa Conference League, as they finished lower in the Premier League than fifth-placed Nice did in Ligue 1.
INEOS, owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, holds a 27.7% stake in Manchester United and has been in control of the club's football operations. The company completed its takeover of Nice in 2019 and also owns Swiss club FC Lausanne-Sport, although the latter has not qualified for European competition this season.
