Crystal Palace v Fredrikstad matchday programme 2526

contents

Crystal Palace √ Fredrikstad FK thu 21 aug 2025 | 8:00pm k.o.

Directors Chairman Steve Parish, David Blitzer, Joshua Harris, Woody Johnson Chief Financial Officer Mitesh Velani Club Secretary Christine Dowdeswell Head of Sports Medicine Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad Academy Director Gary Issott Director of U21 Development Mark Bright Chief Operating Officer Jonty Castle Chief Commercial Officer Barry Webber General Counsel David Nichol Chief of Staff Noah Abrams Head of Ticketing Paul McGowan Head of Retail Foz Bowers Head of Marketing Matt Franks Head of Safeguarding Laura Baptiste Head Groundsman Bruce Elliott

Editor Jack Lacey-Hatton Design Billy Cooke, Stu Ellmer, Lucas Gough

04 11 23

06 31

Front cover David Flanagan

08 chairman

Contributors Robin Johnson,

34 competition debuts

Ed Dowling, Ian King, Tommy Macarthur Photography Neil Everitt, Peter Hurn,

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Sebastian Frej, Pinnacle Photo Agency, Kontent Haus, Harry Bristow, Getty Printer Bishops Printers

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36 international eagles 40 STATS 42 conference fixtures

Manager

oliver glasner Welcome back to Selhurst Park, and welcome to Andreas Hagen and his Fredrikstad FK players and staff for this evening’s game.

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et me begin by welcoming you all back to Selhurst Park for the first time this season, after so many months without football.

Last season is one we will all remember and cherish for the rest of our lives. Together, we made history. But as you all know football never stops for long. Now a new season is here for us to attack – and we’re focused upon achieving more success. We’ve already done that with our Community Shield victory at Wembley. As I said at the time, I was proud of the players – not just for lifting the trophy – but because after the 90 minutes we had matched the level of Liverpool, the Premier League champions.

We reacted to some difficult situations, going behind twice but the players had the confidence and the belief to get back into the game.

That is a good sign for us at the start of a season. It was the same last Sunday at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea. Obviously, we faced the situation of the disallowed goal.

It was unfortunate, but we didn’t allow it to impact us for the rest of the game.

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Last season is one we will all remember and cherish for the rest of our lives.

Together, we made history. But as you all know football never stops for long. Now a new season is here for us to attack

Manager

I know you, our supporters, will be with us every step of the way. You will play a big part in this campaign, and I know a lot of you will be excited to make the trip to Norway next week. The pride of following your team across Europe is something to be cherished

Once the decision was made, it was gone and we just needed to react in the right way. The players showed their commitment to the cause and battled against a really good team, who had just won the Club World Cup, to earn the draw and our first point of the season.

Tonight marks the start of a new chapter. Major European football for the first time is a fantastic moment

Tonight marks the start of a new chapter. Major European football for the first time is a fantastic moment for Crystal Palace.

Of course, we won’t get ahead ourselves, the first task is to get through this play-off tie for Crystal Palace. Of course, we won’t get ahead ourselves, the first task is to get through this play-off tie against Fredrikstad. But the Conference League is an open tournament, and we are confident we can go deep into this competition.

I have always enjoyed European football and the challenge of facing teams from different countries, different leagues, different footballing cultures. European competition is a great opportunity

for us. It is the reward for last season’s effort, commitment and togetherness.

Of course I know you, our supporters, will be with us every step of the way. You will play a big part in this campaign, and I know a lot of you will be excited to make the trip to Norway next week. The pride of following your team across Europe is something to be cherished.

We have already made history in 2025, now it is time to take the next step.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all once again this evening, and I know you will give all your support to the players from start to finish throughout the season

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Captain

marc Guéhi Welcome back to Selhurst Park for the 2025/26 season – and tonight’s UEFA Conference League play-off first leg against Fredrikstad.

T

onight’s game is a historic moment for the club and one we’re all excited to be a part of. It’s been a very busy start to the new season.

Of course, first and foremost we had another memorable day to savour just 11 days ago in the Community Shield. Liverpool are the Premier League champions but we more than matched them at Wembley. All of the lads deserved a great deal of credit for twice fighting back in the 90 minutes – particularly those who then stepped up and took a penalty.

The pressure of shootouts at the highest level is intense, particularly when there’s a trophy on the line. It’s never an easy situation, even if you’re an experienced penalty taker. Special mention to Deano as well for his penalty saves! Getting another trophy in the cabinet only builds confidence and has helped maintain the feel-good factor around the club.

The result at Chelsea, in our first Premier League game, was definitely one to build from. As a unit we defended really well, showing our togetherness and spirit across the 90 minutes. Chelsea are a strong side and had plenty of options from

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we had another memorable day to savour just 11 days ago in the Community Shield.

Liverpool are the Premier League champions but we more than matched them at Wembley

Captain

They were beaten in Europa League qualifying but are in the middle of their domestic season and will be close to their physical peak. We’ll need to match our recent performances to get a positive result that stands us in good stead for the return trip to Norway next week

the substitutes bench, but we were equal to them all over the pitch. It was disappointing to see Ebs’ goal chalked off, after such a great strike.

But we didn’t let that call impact our performance and continued to create chances. You can never be too disappointed with a draw at Stamford Bridge and that point could prove crucial for us come the end of the season.

It’s a joy to be back on home turf for tonight’s play-off tie.

We are all determined to make European nights under the lights at Selhurst Park special.

As ever, I know you’ll create an atmosphere to match the occasion It’s a joy to be back on home turf for tonight’s play-off tie. We are all determined to make European nights under the lights at Selhurst Park special. As ever, I know you’ll create an atmosphere to match the occasion.

This club has had to wait too long for European football. Now we have to make the most of this opportunity.

The first challenge is to make sure we qualify for the league phase of

the Conference League. We know Fredrikstad won’t be pushovers and it’s important to get off to a good start in tonight’s first leg.

They were beaten in Europa League qualifying but are in the middle of their domestic season and will be close to their physical peak. We’ll need to match our recent performances to get a positive result that stands us in good stead for the return trip to Norway next week. As it’s our first European campaign together, there will obviously be a natural learning curve, but we are ready for the challenge.

I hope we can produce some more special moments to get Selhurst Park bouncing this season. Enjoy the game, and the start of our European adventure!

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chairman

steve parish Welcome back to Selhurst Park for our first home match this season – and what a special occasion it is: Crystal Palace’s first-ever major European fixture. I would like to extend a warm welcome to our visitors from Norway: all the supporters, players, staff and directors making the long journey from Fredrikstad.

A

fter the extraordinary end to last season, it has been an eventful summer. Now, however, is the time for us all to look forward – and what better way to do so than with the start of our European adventure, beneath the lights at Selhurst Park, in front of you, our outstanding supporters. I have always said that we have the greatest supporters in the world, and I am excited for you to show Europe what an amazing atmosphere you create every single game, home and away.

Seeing our great club tour the continent, taking on opponents from different countries, is something most of us have dreamt about. When I think back on the club’s journey to this moment, through all its highs and lows, to witness a competitive encounter against European opposition in SE25 really cements the progress we have made.

It might not be in the competition we hoped it would be, following our momentous FA Cup victory over Manchester City back in May. But rest assured that, in every step we take on

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When I think back on the club’s journey to this moment, through all its highs and lows, to witness a competitive encounter against European opposition in SE25 really cements the progress we have made

Chairman

this journey, we will embody the same determination, passion and will to win which has always characterised this great Football Club.

After our FA Cup win and recordbreaking season in the Premier League, Oliver and his players have enjoyed a productive pre-season in South London and Austria, which culminated in another spectacular day at Wembley a week-and-a-half ago. Oliver said after the game that we should make Wembley our home stadium; with the backing you once again provided from the West side of the ground, you made it feel so.

Most teams would have crumbled after twice going a goal down to the Premier League champions, but this is a group, a team, which does not know when it is beaten. Our unity is the bedrock of our success Most teams would have crumbled after twice going a goal down to the Premier League champions, but this is a group, a team, which does not know when it is beaten. Our unity is the bedrock of our success – and the performance everybody put in, capped by another brilliant pair of penalty saves from Dean and Justin’s memorable

winning kick, fully merited our first-ever Community Shield victory. We became the first team in 50 years to win the competition in our debut appearance – congratulations to all involved on writing yet more history.

Last weekend at Stamford Bridge, that same collective fight was on show.

A point at Chelsea is always valuable, and many will feel we deserved all three. Regardless, as Oliver pointed out after the match, every player showed their commitment and pride in playing for Crystal Palace – and that mentality will serve us well as we head into this most exciting, unprecedented of seasons.

You might notice a number of changes around Selhurst Park tonight, as we prepare to host European football; more information can be found on the club website. In particular, after a successful trial of a temporary solution last season, we are working towards installing a state-of-the-art PA system.

This will require a phased approach, so thank you for your patience whilst this work is underway in the coming months – we are confident the long-term results will provide a significant upgrade to your matchday experience.

I know you will once again throw everything you have behind Oliver and the team tonight at Selhurst Park, and next week, for those of you making the journey to Fredrikstad. Moreover, not for the first time, I am confident you will show Europe and the watching world what South London is all about.

Up the Palace

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I know you will once again throw everything you have behind Oliver and the team tonight at Selhurst Park, and next week, for those of you making the journey to Fredrikstad.

Moreover, not for the first time, I am confident you will show Europe and the watching world what South London is all about

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Delivered by:

When Palace supporters travel to Fredrikstad next week, those changing via Oslo should be on the lookout for a familiar face, as 2011/12 Player of the Year – and 12/13 promotion-winner – Jonathan Parr hopes to take his seat among them. The former Norway international quickly won his place in the hearts of South Londoners at just 22 years of age – and can’t wait to see his beloved Palace play in his home country…

Interview: Robin Johnson 11

Jonathan Parr

H

e might have only been a Palace player for three seasons – but Jonathan ‘Jonny’ Parr sees only smiles whenever he returns to Selhurst Park.

Part of the promotion class of 2012/13, Oslo-born Parr – an energetic, accomplished full-back – made his breakthrough with a handful of local clubs, before debuting in Norway’s Tippeligaen – now Eliteserien, the topflight – with Lyn in April 2006.

Parr’s early promise earned him a move to Aalesunds FK at the beginning of the 2007 season, where he would win not only his senior international debut against Montenegro, but two Norwegian Cup titles.

Then, at just 22 years of age, Parr joined Palace in 2011 – and quickly became an instant regular in the side at left-back. Such was the impact he made, the defender won Player of the Season in his first year at the club, helping the Eagles to reach the League

Then, at just 22 years of age, Parr joined Palace in 2011 – and quickly became an instant regular in the side at left-back.

Such was the impact he made, the defender won Player of the Season in his first year at the club, helping the Eagles to reach the League Cup semi-finals

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Cup semi-finals – including playing in the famous quarter-final win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The following season, after nailing down his place on the left side of defence early in the campaign, he continued to show great versatility and commitment to the cause, often deputising on the right flank when required.

His season ended in disappointing fashion with injury in April, but Parr’s 38 league games proved crucial in powering Palace towards the Championship play-offs, where his team clinched a ground-breaking promotion – one from which the club has never looked back, and indeed gone on to reach new trophy-winning heights.

Recalling his role in Palace’s formative stages on this most spectacular of journeys, Parr could scarcely hide his excitement at the prospect of bringing his family along to join his fellow Eagles in the away end at Fredrikstad next week.

Jonathan Parr

I still watch a lot of football and keep an eye on my old teams, hoping that they do well. It’s been very fun to see Crystal Palace do so well over such a long period and, of course, with the Cup win last season, and the Community Shield now, it’s a great time… so I’m looking forward to seeing them in Europe as well!

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Jonny, great to catch up with you!

How are you, and what are you up to at the moment?

I’m good, thanks! It’s now been three-anda-half years since I retired from football and co-founded a company in Norway.

We now have close to 100 employees, dealing in used cars – similar to Cazoo in the UK in the beginning. We’re a Norwegian version of that. I’m Chief Growth Officer – that’s my title. It’s something completely different!

But I still watch a lot of football and keep an eye on my old teams, hoping that they do well. It’s been very fun to see Crystal Palace do so well over such a long period and, of course, with the Cup win last season, and the Community Shield now, it’s a great time… so I’m looking forward to seeing them in Europe as well!

How did you get into your new venture?

Yeah, I ask myself that question a lot!

I always studied alongside my football career, so before I’d stopped playing, I had also finished a Master’s degree in Economics & Finance.

During the last part of my career, I started looking at what I was going to do after football, and maybe by accident – or just by coincidence – I met up with a group who were starting a new company. I got to know them, got involved, and just jumped all in with it!

It’s been fun to start a new business, and to build it up from scratch. There are a lot of similarities to football: competing, trying to achieve goals, always improving… a lot of the things that I loved doing during my football career.

Jonathan Parr I ended up in cars a little bit by accident, but I always wanted to create something. It’s been a really interesting and fun three-and-a-half years, going from two employees to 85. We’re now one of the largest used car platforms in Norway, so it’s gone really well.

I don’t really know how I ended up here, but I’m very glad that I did!

With Palace heading to Norway next week, let’s go back to the start of your footballing career...

I played for Lyn for one season and then, when I was 17, I moved to Aalesunds, which is where my family is from, on the west coast of Norway.

They were a newly-promoted team at the time and we did really well over the four-and-a-half seasons I was there, winning the Cup twice, finishing high in the league, and playing in the qualifying rounds for Europe.

They were a newly-promoted team at the time and we did really well over the four-and-a-half seasons I was there, winning the Cup twice, finishing high in the league, and playing in the qualifying rounds for Europe

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Jonathan Parr

Of course, I always had the dream to move abroad. Growing up in Norway, we watched a lot of English football, and the Premier League was the main target. So when I had the chance to go to Palace, who were then in the Championship, with plans to get into the Premier League…

I was very excited to hear of their interest. I had made my debut for the national team the year before, so I knew there had been some interest from different clubs, but I was just eager myself to take the next step and move abroad to a different league, and a new challenge.

How did your move to South London come about?

The first time I heard about Crystal Palace being interested was when Steffen Iversen, who was playing there then, called me. I think I was at the hairdressers at the time! He called me and said: ‘The Manager [Dougie Freedman] said he’s interested in you – what are your thoughts on coming over and playing for Palace?’ I thought: ‘Yes’!

We started talking, and then I went over to have a chat with Dougie. It just seemed like a really exciting project. The club had just been through some tough times, almost getting relegated after some financial problems – but Steve Parish and the other owners had come in, and they had a vision of the club that they wanted to build.

It was a vision I knew immediately I wanted to be a part of.

We started talking, and then I went over to have a chat with Dougie. It just seemed like a really exciting project.

The club had just been through some tough times, almost getting relegated after some financial problems

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How big a change was it, moving to South London at just 22?

A big one!

At the time, I was living in Ålesund, which is a small town on the west coast of Norway. If you Google it, you’ll find beautiful pictures of a small town, where just 55,000 people live.

At our home matches, we’d sell out every game with just 11,000 people at the stadium! It was special in its own way.

But of course, moving to London and playing for Crystal Palace was a big step. It helps that in Norway we learn English in school as a second language, so that part of it was okay. I could travel over and was able to speak with people and understand – and Norway and England are quite similar in terms of culture – but it was a big move for me.

Jonathan Parr There were a lot of huge characters in that team – how did you find going into the dressing room?

It was a good group that had built up there over the years.

I must say Paddy McCarthy, who was the captain at the time when I came over, was brilliant at getting everyone together and bringing the new players in. As a young lad coming from a different country, he was great in getting me into the group and helping me settle in, so he was very important to the dressing room.

David Wright was there. He was the same type of character – a bit older than me, but he had a lot of experience and helped me to adapt to my new surroundings.

I must say Paddy McCarthy, who was the captain at the time when I came over, was brilliant at getting everyone together and bringing the new players in. As a young lad coming from a different country, he was great in getting me into the group

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And then, of course, Wilfried Zaha was there, [Nathaniel] Clyney was there, and [Joel] Wardy came one year after me – we became close when he arrived.

Wilf was my roommate for a long time, and I was close with him – he was a fun guy!

But overall, it was a great team, and a great club, to be honest – not just the players, but the people around the club as well. For example, [Club Secretary] Christine Dowdeswell was always there, helping me get sorted with different stuff when I came over.

It was a really good move, and I felt welcome and supported all the time I was at the club. I really look back at my time playing for Palace as the highlight of my career – it was a truly great time.

Jonathan Parr Fast forward over a decade, then, and what was it like seeing Joel lift the FA Cup at Wembley earlier this year?

It was amazing! For Joel to have been there for over a decade, and then to be able to lift a trophy at the end… it was simply meant to be. I’m happy for him, and for the career he went on to have at Palace.

I’m happy, of course, for the club as well, and how it’s developed and kept on investing in the Academy and building the structure around the club to make it a solid Premier League team.

It’s great to see how the whole club has developed over the last 10 years.

For Joel to have been there for over a decade, and then to be able to lift a trophy at the end… it was simply meant to be. I’m happy for him, and for the career he went on to have at Palace

I’m happy to have played my part in the promotion, particularly after a time it had almost come into some trouble, but these days, I’m just proud to watch the club.

It was fun to win a trophy last season, win the Community Shield – and now, this year, play in Europe!

It’s been some great months to be a Crystal Palace supporter.

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Jonathan Parr Speaking of Europe, what should Palace supporters expect from Fredrikstad over the course of the play-offs?

I would say that the style of play in Norway is a little bit similar to that in England, but maybe the quality is a few steps behind.

Fredrikstad are historically a big club in Norway. They have won a lot of league titles and cups, but their last years have also not been great. They have been down to the First Division [the second tier] in Norway, and even down to the Second Division. In Norway, it’s only the top two divisions that are professional, so when they went down to the third level, Fredrikstad were kind of semiprofessional for a while.

Fredrikstad are historically a big club in Norway.

They have won a lot of league titles and cups, but their last years have also not been great.

They have been down to the First Division [the second tier] in Norway, and even down to the Second Division

It was only in 2020 they won promotion back to the First Division – and then, last year, they finished sixth in Eliteserien (the top-flight) and won the Norwegian Cup, which was their ticket into Europe.

If I had to predict the result, I’d suspect that Crystal Palace will be a bit too tough an opponent for Fredrikstad… but every game has to be played, and anything can happen, so you never know.

Personally, I think – and hope – that Crystal Palace will go onto the group stages, and will have a good run in Europe.

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Jonathan Parr

If I had to predict the result, I’d suspect that Crystal Palace will be a bit too tough an opponent for Fredrikstad… but every game has to be played, and anything can happen, so you never know.

Personally, I think – and hope – that Crystal Palace will go onto the group stages, and will have a good run in Europe

And will you be joining us in Norway?

Yes – I have to! It’s rare that I get the chance to go to London to watch Palace play – and Fredrikstad is only one-and-a-half hours away from where I live in Oslo!

I’m definitely going to go with my family, watch the game, and support my team. I can’t be patriotic this time and support the Norwegian team – I have to support Crystal Palace, hopefully having already played a good first leg at Selhurst Park.

I’ll definitely be there!

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SHARE GOOD TIMES WITH

GREAT PILSNER GRAB A BEER THAT’S CRISP, BRIGHT AND REFRESHING 20

travel tips...

travel tips...

with Jonathan Parr Headed to Fredrikstad next week, but don’t know the difference between your fjord and your fjell? Allow former Norway international and Palace Player of the Year Jonathan Parr to be your guide…

Make sure you pack for…

The weather being great. Right now, it’s 25 degrees, and sunny, and I think it’s going to be the same while Palace are here.

When in Norway, make sure you try…

We have something called ‘brown cheese’ – if you translate it directly, it’s called brunost in Norwegian. I don’t think you have that in the UK! We also have a lot of good seafood, so make sure you try some salmon.

And in Østfold, which is the part of Norway where Fredrikstad is, it’s normal to serve a hot dog in a waffle (pølse i vaffel) – Palace fans should try that if it’s available at the stadium!

Make sure you say…

The good news is that almost everyone you meet in Norway will understand you, and will also be able to speak quite a lot of English!

Make sure you visit…

Make sure you pick up…

Most of the Norwegian souvenir shops sell fairytale trolls, but I’m not sure if that’s a good souvenir to get from the trip!

The cheese grater was a Norwegian invention at some point – I don’t think I saw that a lot when I was in the UK, but maybe it’s more normal than I thought!

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If you’re just going straight to the game, you’ll find some good activities in Fredrikstad – but if you’re here for a couple of days, try to experience something a bit different, I would say.

I would recommend going to Ålesund, where I used to live, where you have even more of the fantastic nature and the fjords and things like that. But still, in Oslo – which is not far away from Fredrikstad – you can find some nice places, and do things you wouldn’t normally do.

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Fredrikstad FK

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Fredrikstad FK

Fredrikstad fk

Emil Holten

Aristokratene / Rødbuksene 1903

preview In historical terms, Fredrikstad FK are Norway’s second most successful club.

No mean feat in a proud footballing country that has produced the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erling Haaland.

Only Rosenborg have won more silverware, however, Fredrikstad last won the championship back in 1960/61. They are yet to do so in the professional era, but did end a trophy drought last year – claiming the NM (Norwegian) Cup after a penalty shootout win over Molde.

Former player Andreas Hagen is currently appointed as manager after leading the side to silverware last term, after originally being in charge on a temporary basis.

That cup triumph led them to qualify for Europe this term – their first European campaign in 15 years.

Even that was not their first foray into continental competition. Fredrikstad actually played in the European Cup for three seasons on the spin back in the early 1960s.

They even caused an upset in their very first tie, knocking out Dutch giants Ajax in the preliminary round.

Appearances in Europe have been more sporadic since, with Palace set to be Fredrikstad’s 12th European opponents in the club’s history.

TARGETING IMPROVEMENT The domestic cup triumph left supporters quietly optimistic that Hagen’s team could improve on last term’s sixth place finish in the league.

Yet results have remained mixed.

Five wins from their first seven league games gave initial hope, only for form to dip before the summer break.

A goalless draw with Tromso earlier this month left Fredrikstad in mid-table, seven points off the European places, with 12 games to go this season.

Initially in the Europa League, Fredrikstad dropped into the Conference League after a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Danish domestic runners-up Midtjylland.

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THIS Season Position

8th

Points

26

Top Scorer Emil Holten

7

Most Assists Emil Holten

3

Fredrikstad FK

head coach

1-1 √ HamKam Briskeby Stadion

3-2

lastfive

√ Stromsgodset Fredrikstad Stadion

0-0 √ Tromso Romssa Arena

1-3

Andreas Hagen 2-0

√ Midtjylland Fredrikstad Stadion

2-0 √ Midtjylland MCH Arena

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14

Skogvold

BjartalíÐ

Midtjylland √ Fredrikstad

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Thursday 14th August / MCH Arena

4

Substitutes 1

Ø. Øvretveit

2

K. Okpaleke

3

B. Skaret

9

E. Holten

13

S. Sørløkk

16

D. Eid

17

S. Kvile

18

L. Begby

19

R. Shein

25

O. Langbråten

31

E. Solberg

40

E. Granaas

goal cards

Øhlenschlæger

Molde

5 Rafn

11

6

metcalfe

L. Owusu

22

12

28

Woledzi

Fredriksen

s.Owusu

77 M. Børsheim

subs 25

RedBull_UK3383_ZERO_Crystal Palace Match Day Programme_148x105mm_AW.indd 1

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08/01/2025 09:51

Fredrikstad FK

gk øystein

øvretveit age

joined

31 2025

gk Valdemar

1 from

90

Birksø age

joined

24 2025

def Stian Stray

Molde age

joined

28 2019

from

4 from

gk ole

25

Langbråten age

from

22

academy

def

2

Kennedy

Okpaleke age

joined

16 2025

5

def Simen

Rafn age

from

joined

33 2023 27

from

gk martin

77

Børsheim age

joined

20 2025

3

def Brage

Skaret age

from

joined

23 2022

from

12

def Ulrik

Fredriksen age

joined

26 2025

from

Fredrikstad FK

16

def daniel

Eid age

joined

26 2024

from

21

def Fanuel

Ghebreyohannes age

joined

18 2025

mid Leonard

Owusu age

loan

28 2025

from

6 from

17

def Sigurd

Kvile age

joined

25 2024

def Torjus

from

24

Engebakken age

joined

18 2024

mid Benjamin

Faraas age

joined

19 2025 28

from

7 from

18

def ludvig

Begby age

from

joined

28 2024

def jesper

32

Solberg age

from

17

academy

mid

11

patrick

metcalfe age

joined

26 2023

from

Fredrikstad FK

13

mid Sondre

Sørløkk age

joined

28 2023

mid Solomon

from

28

Owusu age

joined

29 2025

fwd emil

Holten age

loan

29 2025

from

19

mid Rocco Robert

Shein age

oskar

20

Øhlenschlæger

joined

22 2025

from

31

mid Elias

Solberg age

mid

from

17

academy

9

fwd

14

from

age

joannes

BjartalíÐ loan

29 2023 29

from

age

joined

21 2025

mid Eirik

from

40

Granaas age

joined

15 2025

fwd Henrik

from

23

Skogvold age

joined

21 2024

from

30

31

conference league

conference league For the first time since 1998, Crystal Palace will take to the field for a competitive European fixture – but what is the UEFA Conference League?

Here’s everything you need to know…

f

irst formed ahead of 2021/22, the UEFA Conference League is now about to enter its fifth season.

The competition primarily runs on Thursday nights alongside the UEFA Europa League and is the third-tier European competition.

Winners of the tournament not only collect a magnificent trophy, but are also granted automatic qualification for the Europa League the following season, if required.

The idea behind the tournament was to ensure a greater number of associations are represented in the group stage across the competitions. Having three club competitions in European football wasn’t unprecedented with the Champions League, UEFA Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup previously running alongside one another until the latter was abolished in 1999.

The first edition of the Conference League saw Jose Mourinho’s Roma side defeat Feyenoord 1-0 in Tirana, marking the first time an Italian side had won a European trophy in 12 years.

In the short history of the competition, on two occasions

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conference league

English sides have prevailed. West Ham United won the trophy in 2023 with a dramatic 2-1 win over Italian side Fiorentina.

Last season, Chelsea won the competition after a 4-1 final victory over Spanish opponents Real Betis in Poland, losing just one game along the way.

What’s the format?

The format of all three UEFA competitions was tweaked ahead of the 2024/25 season and will be maintained this year.

Following the qualification and play-off rounds, 36 teams will enter the tournament proper.

First up is the league phase round. Each team will play six league fixtures between 2nd October and 18th December.

All six of our opponents will be from different countries, while no two teams will play each other more than once. A draw on 29th August will determine who plays who in the league phase. The draw will feature the 24 winners of Conference League play-off round ties and the 12 losers from the Europa League play-off round.

Once the six matchdays have taken place, the final league table will determine who qualifies for the knockout stage – and at what round they will enter.

Keeping up so far? This is where it gets a little complex.

The top eight sides after six league games advance straight to the round of 16. Sides ranking 9th-24th will qualify for a two-legged play-off round. The winners of those ties will

join the top eight in advancing to the Round of 16.

Clubs finishing 25th-36th will be eliminated. From the Round of 16 onwards the competition mirrors other European tournaments, with twolegged home and away knockout ties – until the final, which is a one-off game at a neutral stadium.

When is the conference league final?

The 2025/26 Conference League Final will take place in Leipzig, Germany at the Red Bull Arena.

For those of you who like to plan ahead, Wednesday, 27th May 2026 is the date for your diary!

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What happens next?

After tonight’s first leg, Palace head to Norway a week from today (Thursday, 28th August) for the return fixture.

An aggregate win would ensure qualification for the tournament proper, with the draw for the league phase taking place on Friday, 29th August.

competition debuts

palace's first ever...

Crystal Palace will tread new ground this evening for our first ever UEFA Conference League tie. It’s not quite our first ever game on the continent, courtesy of our brief Intertoto Cup tie in 1998. However, should we make it past Fredrikstad, our debut game in a UEFA tournament proper would be our first league phase opponent. Ahead of our European return, let’s take a look at some of Palace’s previous competition debuts…

first... premier league match

first... ever match When it comes to declaring our firstever match, definition comes into play, so to clarify early: we'll recount the story of the first-ever football match played by the amateur Crystal Palace Club, prior to us turning professional in 1905.

It was at 2.30pm on the afternoon of Saturday, 15th March, 1862, when a momentous footballing event took place on a football pitch... in Leytonstone, Essex.

The first reported football match was played 15-a-side, and finished 1-0 to the Crystal Palace Club – the club’s amateur identity – against a team called The Forest Club.

To some supporters it seems like only yesterday that the Premiership – as it was then known – got underway.

For Palace, it did so on the opening day of 1992/93, with the Eagles one of 22 founding members in the competition’s inaugural season.

Blackburn Rovers were the visitors to Selhurst Park on Saturday, 15th August ’92 – and Mark Bright was, of course, the man to get Palace off the mark in the competition, with what ended up being his 113th and final goal for the club.

After a cagey start to the game from both sides, Bright struck after 37 minutes – Palace's first-ever Premier League goal. “It was a header at the far post,” he would later recall. “I think [Richard] Shaw came inside and crossed, and I just headed it down. Hand in the air, back to the halfway line and start again.”

The match ended in a 3-3 thriller as Stuart Ripley scored for Blackburn; Gareth Southgate restored Palace’s lead; and then a young Alan Shearer struck a brace for the visitors.

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Simon Osborn answered for Palace at Selhurst in injury-time: a sign of the top-flight rollercoaster to come in SE25.

first... league cup match Established in the 1960/61 season as the Football League Cup – now, of course, referred to as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons – Palace admittedly needed time to find their feet in the competition.

A Division Four side at the time of its creation, the then-Glaziers were eliminated in the first round for its first four seasons in-a-row – initially losing 2-0 away to Darlington on 12th October 1960.

Our League Cup duck was thankfully eventually broken as a Division Three side in 1964/65, winning twice – against Tranmere Rovers and Southampton – to reach the fourth round, where we fell to Leicester City.

competition debuts

first... community shield match

first... intertoto cup match The Intertoto Cup was an accompanying tournament to the Champions League, UEFA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup. Originally it hosted teams who had initially failed to qualify for either of those competitions but, in 1995, became a route for teams to qualify for the UEFA Cup. Clubs earned entry to the summer-long tournament through application rather than merit, and it was never considered as a major European competition.

But with Palace having been relegated from the Premier League the previous season, the Eagles still secured a brief one-tie European stint in July 1998, playing home and away against Turkish outfit Samspunspor.

By the time the game came around, financially-troubled Palace walked out against a side who had recently finished fifth in the Turkish 1.Lig. The Eagles line-up had a youthful sheen to it – but, firmly underdogs, they fell to consecutive 2-0 defeats.

Our first major trophy back in May guaranteed another first for Palace – a chance to play for the Community Shield at Wembley.

And the Eagles certainly made the most of their chance on one of the English football’s centrepiece occasions.

Going head-to-head with Premier League holders Liverpool, Palace weren’t dampened by an early Reds goal, Jean-Philippe Mateta slotting home a penalty.

Liverpool again snatched the lead back in an absorbing contest, but Oliver Glasner’s side grew into the match the longer it went on.

Eventually Ismaïla Sarr scored a late, but fully deserved, equaliser.

That meant a penalty shootout in the Wembley sunshine, with Dean Henderson producing heroics, saving two spot kicks – Justin Devenny then smashing home the winning penalty at match point.

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international eagles

international eagles We’re now less than 12 months away from the biggest footballing spectacle on the planet, the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With the potential for plenty of Palace representation in USA, Mexico and Canada, we’re looking ahead to the tournament throughout 2025/26 with our International Eagles feature. In each issue we’ll be taking a look at one nation aiming for glory in North America and examining their Palace links.

With our opponents in our mind, this week our focus is on...

eagle in focus

norway brede hangeland While none of our current squad hail from the Land of the Midnight Sun, a number of former Eagles won caps for Norway at international level.

Defender Brede Hangeland represented Palace for the final two seasons of his career, between 2014 and 2016.

Although born in Houston, Texas in the USA, Hangeland’s parents were Norwegian and they returned home just two years after his birth. The future Palace defender grew up in Stavanger, the third largest city in the country.

Signing for local club Viking, he turned pro in the year 2000 and spent the next five seasons at his hometown club, during which time he won his first international cap.

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A move to Denmark followed in January 2006, when Hangeland signed for FC Copenhagen. This is where the defender's career really took off, with Hangeland producing a series of excellent displays in the 2006/07 Champions League campaign.

Attracting the interest of several English clubs, Fulham won the race for his signature, reuniting Hangeland with future Palace boss Roy Hodgson, the two having previously worked together at Viking.

After six successful years at the Cottage, Hangeland made the move to South London ahead of the 2014/15 season. His impact was immediate, heading in from Jason Puncheon’s corner on his debut in an eventual defeat away at Arsenal.

He made 17 appearances in total, proving a useful member of the squad as the Eagles finished in 10th place under Alan Pardew.

international eagles

factfile

Have we played there before?

population

5,600,000

Although tonight’s game will be Palace’s first competitive fixture in Norway, the Eagles have previously played friendly games on Norwegian soil.

This included a meeting with Fredrikstad on 30th July 1991. Palace drew 2-2 on that occasion with Ian Wright and Geoff Thomas both on the scoresheet.

The last two seasons have seen Palace play Norwegian opposition in mid-season friendly matches, during a break in

Capital

Oslo Spoken Language

Norwegian Currency

Krone Favourite Dish

Fårikål

Road to the 2026 World Cup It may be early days but Norway are firmly in the driving seat to qualify for the finals in North America next summer.

They have won all four of their games so far in qualification Group I. The most notable success was a 3-0 thrashing of four-times champions Italy in Oslo, in which Manchester City star Erling Haaland was amongst the goals.

Haaland also got the winner against Estonia three

days later, but Norway are far from a one-man show these days.

As well as captain Martin Ødegaard, former Palace forward Alexander Sørloth has taken some of the burden off Haaland’s shoulders. Now at Atlético Madrid, Sørloth has three goals in qualification so far, narrowly trailing Haaland who has four.

Should they win their next three fixtures, Norway will virtually guarantee automatic qualification ahead of the return fixture with Italy on the final matchday.

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domestic fixtures. Bodo/Glimt (2023/24) and HamKam (2024/25) were both defeated 1-0.

However, both of these games took place on foreign soil.

cpfc norway

cpfc norway When Kai Lindseth began to follow Crystal Palace in the 1970s, the rest of his school had familiar afflictions. There were Liverpool and Manchester United fans everywhere, but fellow Glaziers? Not so much.

i

n fact, it would take almost a decade before he encountered another Palace fan – but since then, he hasn’t stopped building new members of the community.

Now, as Palace prepare to head to his country, Crystal Palace Norway – of which Kai is a board member – have almost 130 members who make the regular pilgrimage to London, and whose fanzine ‘Ørneblikket’ (The Eagle Eye) has been running since 1991, making it the world’s longestrunning Palace magazine.

“These football cards came in bubblegum packs in the 1970s,” Kai remembers. “When I was a little kid, we used to play with them in the schoolyard.

“One day I got hold of one with Dave Swindlehurst wearing the old red and blue sash, and I just fell in love with the shirt. I was about six or seven, and I decided there and then that this was going to be my team.

“I have stuck with them ever since. There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to keep that promise to myself to keep on supporting the Palace.

“I didn’t meet a fellow Palace fan until many, many years later – probably a good 10 years after that. That’s when our supporters club got started.

One day I got hold of one (a football card) with Dave Swindlehurst wearing the old red and blue sash, and I just fell in love with the shirt. I was about six or seven, and I decided there and then that this was going to be my team

“It was fantastic because I had never really been able to talk Palace with people around me. I have been involved for the past 34 years now!”

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In this day and age, supporting a club from abroad is not so unusual. The Premier League is one of the UK’s biggest exports, and whether you are in Azerbaijan or Angola, Tanzania or Tahiti, you will find a bar showing the games with a series of die-hard fans to boot.

It requires huge dedication, but it is at the very least accessible.

Worldwide kick-off times pose difficulties for sleep patterns, but one can at least follow their team from anywhere in the world.

It wasn’t always like this.

In its earliest days, Kai and co. ran Ørneblikket as much as a newspaper as a traditional fanzine.

They were the clearest purveyors of Palace news across Norway.

“In the beginning it served us as a news outlet, because if you lived here in Norway before the internet, none of the papers would write about Palace,” Kai explains.

“It was a source for Palace fans to get to know more about the club and get to know some of the players and results.

“Even things like line-ups wouldn’t be available back then. A few of us would have the Croydon

cpfc norway

Advertiser sports pages sent to us here in Norway, and we would use that for pictures and information.

“We would subscribe to the matchday programme and we would translate stuff and put it in our fanzine, because most people would have nothing [to read] about Palace.

“It’s been going for 34 years now. It’s the oldest running Palace fanzine anywhere in the world.”

Soon enough, it became more than a source of information; it was the basis for a growing community.

“Our fanzine has always served a twofold purpose,” Kai explains. “It’s one thing telling people about Palace and the players and everything, but it’s also a way of connecting with other Palace fans across all of Scandinavia.

“You’ll be hard pressed to run in to one, but we print a members list. You can see: ‘Alright, there is a guy who lives down the road who is actually a Palace fan – and there is a guy in the city. Maybe I should give him a call and we can go and watch a match together’.

“So it's always been a way of getting people to know each other as well. Of course, these days, it's a bit different because everything's available online and every single game is on TV, so you don't have the news bit anymore.

“It's about opinions. Our fanzine has always been a bit out of the ordinary. We might do articles on non-league clubs. We could do articles on fan culture.

“We could do things with what relates Palace to ourselves, personal opinions. Of course, people who go on trips and write their stories and such is always, always very interesting.”

And so, some 20 Norwegians recently went on one such trip: to Croydon, and then onto Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 17th May, to witness Palace’s finest hour, coincidentally on Norway’s national day – with Kai leading the charge.

“Wembley was fantastic!” he recalls. “It was everything I ever dreamed of in my 45 years of supporting Palace. We were standing right behind the goal for the penalty

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save and I remember thinking ‘this is our Dave Beasant moment!’

“As the final whistle went, I was crying my eyes out with all emotions, hopes and dreams of a lifetime put into that one moment.

After the game, we went to the Wetherspoons in Wembley to wait out the crowds before going to back to Croydon!

“Now, Palace coming to Norway for their first real European game is special. It was something we could only dream of, and now it's happening, I'm elated.

“I will be there, of course, and will hopefully be joined by many more Palace fans from both England and Norway.”

Thanks to his efforts, at kickoff today and next week – and for the rest of the season, and for every season after that – there won’t merely be a few interested spectators in Norway, but an entire growing and ever-more dedicated community.

Follow Crystal Palace Norway on Instagram, X and Facebook @cpfcnorway.

fixtures & results

25/26 fixtures & results

may

april

march

february

january

december

november

oct

SEP

august

Home Away FA Cup Carabao Cup Conference League Community Shield Started Used sub Unused sub Goal(s) Yellow card Red card Date

Opposition

attendance/KICK-OFF

Sun 10

Liverpool

82,645

W

2-2 (3-2)

Final

Sun 17

Chelsea

39,678

D

0-0

12th

Thu 21

Fredrikstad

20:00

Sun 24

Nottingham Forest

14:00

Thu 28

Fredrikstad

17:00

Sun 31

Aston Villa

19:00

Sat 13

Sunderland

15:00

Sat 20

West Ham United

15:00

Sat 27

Liverpool

15:00

Sat 4

Everton

15:00

Sat 18

Bournemouth

15:00

Sat 25

Arsenal

15:00

Sat 1

Brentford

15:00

Sat 8

Brighton & Hove Albion

15:00

Sat 22

Wolverhampton Wanderers

15:00

Sat 29

Manchester United

15:00

Wed 3

Burnley

20:00

Sat 6

Fulham

15:00

Sat 13

Manchester City

15:00

Sat 20

Leeds United

15:00

Sat 27

Tottenham Hotspur

15:00

Tue 30

Fulham

20:00

Sat 3

Newcastle United

15:00

Wed 7

Aston Villa

20:00

Sat 17

Sunderland

15:00

Sat 24

Chelsea

15:00

Sat 31

Nottingham Forest

15:00

Sat 7

Brighton & Hove Albion

15:00

Wed 11

Burnley

20:00

Sat 21

Wolverhampton Wanderers

15:00

Sat 28

Manchester United

15:00

Wed 4

Tottenham Hotspur

20:00

Sat 14

Leeds United

15:00

Sat 21

Manchester City

15:00

Sat 11

Newcastle United

15:00

Sat 18

West Ham United

15:00

Sat 25

Liverpool

15:00

Sat 2

Bournemouth

15:00

Sat 9

Everton

15:00

Sun 17

Brentford

15:00

Sun 24

Arsenal

16:00

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Result

Position

Dean Henderson Daniel Muñoz Tyrick Mitchell Maxence Lacroix Marc Guéhi Ismaïla Sarr Jefferson Lerma Eddie Nketiah Eberechi Eze Matheus França Jean-Philippe Mateta Nathaniel Clyne Daichi Kamada Will Hughes Adam Wharton Romain Esse Odsonne Édouard Borna Sosa Chris Richards Cheick Doucouré Naouirou Ahamada Remi Matthews Chadi Riad Caleb Kporha Walter Benítez Jesurun Rak-Sakyi Justin Devenny Rio Cardines

fixtures & results

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 14 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 26 28 29 31 34 38 44 49 55 59

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conference league fixtures

play-offs Hamrun Spartans √ RFS

Raków CzEstochowa √ Arda

Shelbourne √ Linfield

Hibernian √ Legia Warsaw

Breidablik √ Virtus

Levski Sofia √ AZ

Drita √ Differdange 03

Polissya Zhytomyr √ Fiorentina

Olimpija Ljubljana √ Noah

Gyori ETO √ Rapid Wien

Strasbourg √ Brøndby

Neman Grodno √ Rayo Vallecano

Jagiellonia Białystok √ Dinamo City

Lausanne-Sport √ Besiktas

Shakhtar Donetsk √ Servette

Santa Clara √ Shamrock Rovers

Anderlecht √ AEK Athens

Rosenborg √ Mainz 05

istanbul Basaksehir √ Universitatea Craiova

Sparta Prague √ Riga

Crystal Palace √ Fredrikstad

BK Häcken √ CFR Cluj

Celje √ Baník Ostrava

Wolfsberger AC √ Omonia

First legs all played on 21st August. Return legs to be played 27-28th August.

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Crystal palace f.c.

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 14 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 26 28 29 31 34 38 44 49 55 59

Dean HENDERSON (GK) Daniel MUÑOZ Tyrick MITCHELL Maxence LACROIX Marc GUÉHI Ismaïla SARR Jefferson LERMA Eddie NKETIAH Eberechi EZE Matheus FRANÇA Jean-Philippe MATETA Nathaniel CLYNE Daichi KAMADA Will HUGHES Adam WHARTON Romain ESSE Odsonne ÉDOUARD Borna SOSA Chris RICHARDS Cheick DOUCOURÉ Naouirou AHAMADA Remi MATTHEWS (GK) Chadi RIAD Caleb KPORHA Walter BENÍTEZ (GK) Jesurun RAK-SAKYI Justin DEVENNY Rio CARDINES

fredrikstad fk

A. Papapetrou T. Petropoulos I. Aptosoglou F. Polychronis A. Evangelou K. Poulikidis

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 28 31 32 40 77 90

Øystein ØVRETVEIT (GK) Kennedy OKPALEKE Brage SKARET Stian Stray MOLDE Simen RAFN Leonard OWUSU Benjamin FARAAS Emil HOLTEN Patrick METCALFE Ulrik FREDRIKSEN Sondre SØRLØKK Jóannes BJARTALÍÐ Daniel EID Sigurd KVILE Ludvig BEGBY Rocco Robert SHEIN Oskar ØHLENSCHLÆGER Fanuel GHEBREYOHANNES Maxwell WOLEDZI Henrik SKOGVOLD Torjus ENGEBAKKEN Ole LANGBRÅTEN (GK) Solomon OWUSU Elias SOLBERG Jesper SOLBERG Eirik GRANAAS Martin BØRSHEIM (GK) Valdemar BIRKSØ (GK)

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