History beckons in Leipzig as Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano go head-to-head in the 2026 Conference League final.
For both clubs, this marks their first-ever appearance in a major European final, offering a golden opportunity to lift their maiden international trophy and secure a coveted ticket to next season’s Europa League.
While the Eagles’ Premier League form tailed off towards the end of the campaign to finish 15th, Oliver Glasner’s men have saved their finest performances for the continent.
Having already guided Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2022, the departing Austrian manager will be desperate to sign off his memorable Palace tenure with another piece of European silverware to add to last year’s historic FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs.
Standing in their way is a highly motivated Rayo Vallecano side led by Iñigo Pérez. Much like Palace, Los Franjirrojos have relied on a fiercely passionate fanbase and an intense, combative playing identity to punch well above their weight on the European stage.
Before this season Rayo’s best run in Europe was a quarter-final in the 2001 UEFA Cup.
Here’s how the sides line up:
Crystal Palace team news
Jean-Philippe Mateta gets the nod to start in attack as Chris Richards misses out in defence. The United States international is only on the bench.
Adam Wharton, who was a doubt, is fit enough to start.
Palace XI: Henderson, Riad, Lacroix, Canvot, Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell, Sarr, Pino, Mateta
Rayo Vallecano team news
Rayo XI: Batalla; Rațiu, Lejeune, Pathé Ciss, Chavarría; Valentín, Unai López; Álvaro García, Isi Palazón, De Frutos; Alemao.
Where to watch Palace v Rayo: TV channel, live online streams
Kick-off on Wednesday is at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). Live TV coverage in the UK is on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.
Streaming is on the HBO Max app. TNT Sports costs £30.99 a month and is available on a vast range of devices including smart TVs and gaming consoles.
Crystal Palace v Rayo Vallecano stats
- This is Palace’s second season in European competition and first since their 1998 Intertoto Cup campaign, losing 2-0 home and away against Samsunspor in the third round
- Palace are the third English club – all from London – to reach the Conference League final, after West Ham (2022/23) and Chelsea (2024/25), who both went on to lift the trophy
- They are aiming to become the 12th different English club to win a major UEFA men’s club competition after Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Ipswich, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and West Ham
- The Eagles have lost only three of their 16 Conference League matches this season (W9 D4)
- With 25 goals, Palace are the top scorers in this season’s Conference League (league phase to final) and have three more than nearest rivals Rayo Vallecano (22)
- Ismaila Sarr has scored in Palace’s last five Conference League matches (six goals in total) and is the top scorer in the competition proper this season with nine goals
- Yeremy Pino was the youngest Spanish player to start a major European final, aged 18 years 218 days, when he won the 2020/21 Europa League with Villarreal
- Daichi Kamada scored in the penalty shoot-out as Eintracht Frankfurt beat Rangers in the 2021/22 Europa League final
- Rayo Vallecano have lost only four of their last 20 European matches (W14 D2)
- Their only previous European campaign took them to the quarter-finals of the 2000/01 UEFA Cup, losing to fellow Spanish side Alaves 4-2 on aggregate (3-0 away, 2-1 at home)
- That means they have reached their first UEFA final in their second season of European competition
- Real Betis became the first Spanish team to reach the Conference League final, losing 1-4 to Chelsea last season
- Rayo coach Inigo Perez came on as a substitute as Athletic Club lost 3-0 to Atletico Madrid in the 2011/12 Europa League final
- In his first UEFA campaign in charge, Perez could become the second Spanish coach to win the Conference League after Jose Luis Mendilibar’s 2023/24 triumph with Olympiacos
- Brazilian forward Alemao scored the only goal in each leg of Rayo’s semi-final against Strasbourg, in what was the first meeting between Spanish and French teams in the Conference League proper
