'It's make or break' - Crystal Palace warned of falling behind Premier League rivals

Dec 25, 2025 - 18:00

Crystal Palace’s expansion of Selhurst Park is a necessity to be able to keep pace financially with Premier League rivals.

That is according to football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley who has exclusively told Football Insider why the Eagles could use new squad cost ratio rules in their favour.

Crystal Palace could make an extra £10million a year in revenue from expanding Selhurst Park, with the ground currently holding just over 25,000 spectators.

Selhurst Park is the fourth-smallest Premier League ground, and many clubs have opted to, or are planning on, building new stadiums or redeveloping their current homes.

Crystal Palace ‘desperate’ for extra revenue

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley believes Crystal Palace need to find ways to increase their revenue.

“With European football this season, they’re a steady Premier League club,” Plumley said.

“If you look at what’s happening in the landscape and the Premier League now moving to squad cost ratio as an example. The way in which you can use that to your advantage is if you don’t want to cut cost, which a lot of clubs don’t, then you have to grow revenue to make that ratio work in your favour.

“And if you look at how to grow revenue, we’ve talked about this a lot, you know, that is broadcasting, commercial and matchday.

“You’re not in control of the broadcasting agreements. So you can try to stretch your commercial deals, or you can grow matchday income, and the only way you do that is by either building a brand-new stadium or expanding your current lot.

“So it makes sense with the landscape and financially, you know, yeah, for a club like Palace and then a few others, you wouldn’t necessarily say it’s make or break in terms of, you know, they’re desperate to do it, but to grow revenue, they almost have to.”