Crystal Palace to Face Shakhtar Donetsk in Conference League Playoff: Match Set for Krakow

Clash Between Crystal Palace and Shakhtar Donetsk

According to Главком: London-based Crystal Palace has been drawn against Shakhtar Donetsk from Donetsk in the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League playoff round. The first leg is scheduled for April 30, 2026, at Krakow's Municipal Stadium, kicking off at 22:00 Kyiv time. The return match will take place on May 7, 2026. This matchup brings together an English side with recent domestic success and a Ukrainian powerhouse known for its European pedigree.

Crystal Palace's Background and Achievements

Founded in 1905, Crystal Palace currently sits 86th in the UEFA club rankings. The club claimed the FA Cup title in the 2024/25 season and also won the English Super Cup in 2025. Their best European performance to date is reaching the Conference League semifinals in the current campaign.

The team, nicknamed 'the Eagles' and 'the Glaziers,' plays its home games at Selhurst Park, which has a capacity of 25,486 spectators. Oliver Glasner serves as head coach, with Dean Henderson captaining the side.

During the ongoing season, Crystal Palace has made several notable transfers:

• Their most expensive acquisition was Yeremy Pino from Villarreal for €30 million.
• Jeyde Kanvo arrived from Toulouse for €23 million.
• Brennan Johnson was signed from Tottenham Hotspur for €40 million.

Additionally, the club sold Eberechi Eze to Arsenal for €69.3 million and Marc Guehi to Manchester City for €23 million.

On the pitch, Crystal Palace has shown mixed form. In Premier League matches, they suffered six defeats in ten rounds between December and January, and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Macclesfield. However, the team has produced strong European results, defeating Kyiv's Dynamo (2-0) and AZ Alkmaar (3-1), as well as overcoming AEK (2-1) after a 0-0 draw in the first leg.

Key players for Crystal Palace include Ismaila Sarr, who has scored 16 goals across all competitions, and Jean-Philippe Mateta with 12 goals. Head coach Oliver Glasner brings extensive experience, having won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt and led successful campaigns at Ried and LASK.

This rivalry between Shakhtar and Crystal Palace promises to be compelling, given both clubs' histories, achievements, and current form this season.

Matches between Ukrainian and English clubs always draw significant attention from fans and analysts, as they often feature high-level play and intriguing tactics. Crystal Palace, in particular, has European competition experience that could prove crucial in this tie against Shakhtar. For both teams, these games represent not only a chance to showcase their ambitions on the international stage but also an opportunity to solidify their standing in European football.

As both teams prepare for this important playoff clash, the atmosphere surrounding the match is already building. Fans of Shakhtar Donetsk have shown remarkable enthusiasm in recent matches, with their away ticket allocations selling out in no time, as seen in their recent semi-final encounter. To learn more about the incredible support from Shakhtar fans, check out this article on their swift ticket sales for the semifinal match.