Know if Girona FC and Man City can both play in the UEFA Champions League if the La Liga team qualifies for UCL
Fans of football are asking themselves an important question because Girona is, for the most part, the surprise miracle this season and is now ranking highly in the Spanish La Liga.
Can Girona FC play in the UEFA Champions League and European football if they qualify and Man City ownership structure explained
Girona might win laliga if they continue with the same spirit. Winning against Sevilla with a goal margin of 4 isn't a joke.pic.twitter.com/Sd5ZOEaSkJ
— Ochieng (@le_mike23) January 22, 2024
Will they be eligible to participate in the Champions League even if they share ownership with Manchester City if they manage to stay at the top of the table? Last season, Girona received a UEFA licence, allowing them to participate in competitions across Europe.
But despite Michel Sanchez’s incredible run, which could lead to something truly spectacular the next season, there are mounting worries that their accomplishments will remain limited to Spain.
Because of UEFA’s multi-club ownership regulation, Girona might not be allowed to play in the Champions League the following season, even if they place in the top four.
RB Leipzig and Salzburg were permitted to participate in the Champions League in 2017 despite their affiliation with Red Bull. However, according to BBC Sports, the owner no longer has a controlling interest in the former, which was forced to reduce its link with its sister club.
Who are the owners of Manchester City and Girona?
Two of the teams that make up the City Football Group (the Spanish team that was purchased in 2017) are Girona and City. The Abu Dhabi United Group, an Emirati company, owns an 81% share in the club, with the American fund Silver Lake, a significant player with its headquarters located in Palo Alto and investments spread across multiple industries, owning the remaining portion.
Furthermore, two Chinese companies, China Media Capital and CITIC Capital, own a small portion of the company. The City Football Group involves 13 clubs including Manchester City, New York City FC, Melbourne City and Yokohama F. Marinos.
Can Manchester City and Girona, both participate in the UCL together?
To encourage fair play, UEFA regulations forbid clubs owned by the same individual from participating in the same competition.
A top-four result and Champions League qualification might put CFG in an intriguing situation. A UEFA representative directed ESPN to Article 5 of the Champions League regulations when asked if Girona and City, both under the CFG umbrella, would be permitted to participate in Europe’s premier competition, should they both qualify.
No individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition, such control or influence. Two clubs owned by the same person, or a person who can influence the decision-making processes of a club, cannot participate in the same club competition.”
According to UEFA regulations, the team that advances to the most lucrative competition; the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, in that order; will be awarded priority if both qualify.
Alternately, the team that earns a spot in the tournament will be permitted to participate in the domestic competition where they placed highest.