Club Profile
Crystal Palace
Not the biggest or one of the best, but one of the most fun clubs to visit, Palace also bring an old-fashioned and local feeling to the Premier League.
LOCATION: The South London neighborhood of Selhurst, about 30 minutes by train from Victoria or London Bridge station
CONTACT: cpfc.co.uk, 0208 768 6000, #CPFC
NICKNAMES: The Eagles. There used to be a bald eagle, Kayla, who flew around before games. But she passed away in 2020 at age 28, and so far there hasn’t been a replacement.
History
First of all, yes, there was in fact a Crystal Palace. It’s gone now, and it wasn’t anywhere near the current location of Crystal Palace FC—which, in turn, is not in the part of South London known as Crystal Palace. The original palace, which was three times larger than St. Paul’s Cathedral and contained the most glass ever used in a building,…
You can learn more about the club's history, rivalries, women's team, songs and stadium, and get our best tips for seeing a game at Crystal Palace, by purchasing a one year Ultras membership. Find out more here.
Rivalries
Local neighbors Millwall and Charlton are high on the list of rivals, as are any of the other big London clubs. But the most hated of all is Brighton and Hove Albion, which may seem odd considering Brighton isn’t terribly close by. It’s all about two managers in the 1970s who didn’t like each other, a bunch of tense and high-stakes playoff and…
You can learn more about the club's history, rivalries, women's team, songs and stadium, and get our best tips for seeing a game at Crystal Palace, by purchasing a one year Ultras membership. Find out more here.
Women's Team
Crystal Palace FC Women are in the FA Women’s Championship, the second tier of English women’s football. They play their home games at Hayes Lane, also the home of Bromley
You can learn more about the club's history, rivalries, women's team, songs and stadium, and get our best tips for seeing a game at Crystal Palace, by purchasing a one year Ultras membership. Find out more here.
Songs
The atmosphere at Palace is fantastic. Some Brits consider it a bit manufactured, but when the teams come out and the home crowd claps, raises their arms, and sings that they are “Glad All Over,” you may be as well. They have a whole routine they do when they score, leading up to a song that starts out “We love you.” There’s also “Pride of South…
You can learn more about the club's history, rivalries, women's team, songs and stadium, and get our best tips for seeing a game at Crystal Palace, by purchasing a one year Ultras membership. Find out more here.
Stadium
Selhurst Park is so embedded in its neighborhood that there’s actually a grocery store in it. Across every street are houses, and inside is seating for 26,074 people. The Main Stand is actually the smallest and is original, dating to 1924. They plan to replace it and add 8,000 seats to the capacity; this has been approved by the local council,…
You can learn more about the club's history, rivalries, women's team, songs and stadium, and get our best tips for seeing a game at Crystal Palace, by purchasing a one year Ultras membership. Find out more here.
Going to a Game at Crystal Palace
GETTING THERE: Again, an important reminder: Crystal Palace is not at Crystal Palace. That train station is far away. You want Selhurst, Thornton Heath, or Norwood Junction stations. All are serviced by trains from Victoria station and London Bridge (though it’s quicker from Victoria). It’s about 10 to 15 minutes’ walk from each. You can save all…
You can learn more about the club's history, rivalries, women's team, songs and stadium, and get our best tips for seeing a game at Crystal Palace, by purchasing a one year Ultras membership. Find out more here.
Crystal Palace Tickets
A membership is required to buy tickets; the international membership last year was £45 and also got you a discount in the club shop and at some area hotels. Members get access to tickets through the usual channels but can also use a season ticket resale service. Groundhopper Guides also sell tickets and hospitality options for games at Selhurst Park.
One thing to watch out for is that in the Wait and Main Stands, the roof is rather overhanging. So if you’re up high, you won’t be able to see the far stand or, probably, the ball if it goes too high in the air. Try to get down low or behind a goal. There will almost certainly be a post in your way in the Wait or Main Stands.
The Holmesdale is fun and has none of these viewing problems, and the Whitehorse Lane lower is very close to the action but possibly open to the elements.
Photo Gallery
Videos
Pregame "Glad All Over" at Crystal Palace, Selhurst Park, 2014
Crystal Palace Pregame at Selhurst Park, 2020
VAR Moment at West Ham vs Crystal Palace, 5 October 2019
