London city trip · Football history
The History of Crystal Palace: A London City Trip Guide for Premier League Fans
From a club named after a glass palace in 1905 to a historic first trophy and European glory, the story of Crystal Palace, and how to plan a London city trip around an Eagles matchday at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace are the heartbeat of south London football. For most of their long history the Eagles were the great nearly-club, famous for raw passion and one of the best atmospheres in the country rather than for silverware. Then everything changed. After 120 years of waiting, Palace finally became trophy winners, and their old-school home at Selhurst Park remains one of the most authentic matchday experiences in the capital. For anyone planning a London city trip built around real football culture, Palace are a brilliant choice.
This is the story of how a club named after a glass exhibition hall became a proud Premier League side and, at long last, a winner, and why an Eagles matchday belongs on your London itinerary.
Born from a glass palace: 1905
Crystal Palace took their name from one of Victorian London's great wonders. The original Crystal Palace was the vast glass and iron structure built for the Great Exhibition of 1851 and later moved to Sydenham in south London. A football club was formed at the site in 1905, borrowing the famous name, and early on the team were nicknamed the Glaziers before they became the Eagles we know today.
The great glass palace itself was destroyed by fire in 1936, but the club carried the name forward, and south London has been its home ever since.
Selhurst Park and the yo-yo years
Palace settled at Selhurst Park in 1924, and the ground has been their fortress for a century. For much of the 20th century the Eagles were a classic yo-yo club, rising and falling between divisions, building a loyal and famously vocal fanbase along the way.
Their finest early moment came in 1990, when Palace reached the FA Cup final, taking Manchester United to a replay before narrowly losing. The following season the club recorded its highest ever league finish, third in the top flight, a high point for a generation of supporters.
A Premier League mainstay
Crystal Palace returned to the Premier League in 2013 and have been a fixture in the division ever since, far longer than many predicted. Built on resilience, smart management and the talent of players like club hero Wilfried Zaha, the Eagles became one of the most established names in the Premier League.
What sets Palace apart is the atmosphere. The Holmesdale Road end, with its drummers and flags, generates a wall of noise that visiting fans rarely forget, and the eagle that soars around the pitch before kick-off has become one of the great matchday traditions in English football.
The breakthrough: a first trophy and European glory
For 120 years Crystal Palace had never won a major trophy. That changed in May 2025, when Oliver Glasner's side beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final, with Eberechi Eze scoring the winner before his move to Arsenal. It was the club's first major honour and one of the great underdog triumphs in modern English football.
The success kept coming. Palace beat Liverpool to win the Community Shield, and then, in 2025/26, they lifted the UEFA Conference League, beating Rayo Vallecano in the final to claim a first European trophy and a place in the Europa League. It marked the most successful period in the club's history and a fitting farewell for Glasner, who left at the end of the campaign. For long-suffering Eagles fans, the wait had been well worth it.
Planning your London city trip around a Crystal Palace matchday
This is where Football City Trip comes in. A matchday at Selhurst Park is one of the most authentic and atmospheric football experiences in the capital, a proper old-school ground in the heart of south London.
Getting there
Selhurst Park sits in Selhurst, south London, near Croydon. South London relies on the rail network rather than the Underground, and the ground is served by three stations, Selhurst, Norwood Junction and Thornton Heath, all reachable by direct train from London Victoria or London Bridge in around 15 to 20 minutes.
Where to base yourself
Basing yourself near London Victoria or London Bridge keeps the journey to the ground quick and simple, while leaving you in the centre of the city for the rest of your London city trip.
Make a day of it
The big nearby attraction is Crystal Palace Park, home to the famous Victorian dinosaur sculptures and the site of the original glass palace that gave the club its name. The Crystal Palace area itself, up the hill, has a lively, independent feel with good pubs and places to eat before the game.
Beyond the football
South London is one of the most underrated parts of the capital, full of parks, viewpoints and character, with central London just a short train ride away. Pair an Eagles game with a day exploring south London and you have a perfect football-and-travel weekend.
The bottom line
Crystal Palace is a club built on passion, loyalty and, finally, success. From a team named after a glass palace in 1905 to a historic first trophy and a European crown, the Eagles offer something special: genuine football culture, one of the best atmospheres in the Premier League, and a real south London experience to explore around a game.
Build your next London city trip around a matchday at Crystal Palace. Come on you Eagles.