'We fell in love with Palace' – Voices of CPFC Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan & more

Features

15 May 2025

Crystal Palace’s third-ever FA Cup Final is now just hours away – and ahead of the match, we’re delighted to share a range of our favourite CPFC voices, looking forward to our return to English football’s greatest stage…

While the eyes of the world will undoubtedly be on North-West London on Saturday, the cheers will come from much further afield – as just six of our many, many international supporters groups – which you can find here – will testify...

Click here to hear from CPFC's Australian fan groups.

Palace in... Ghana (above)

Tell us a little bit about your group.

We had family members back here in Ghana who loved football. Shortly, they relocated to the UK and found themselves in the Palace Community. Any time they spoke to us, it was all about Crystal Palace and how lovely the atmosphere is.

We fell in love with Crystal Palace and found ourselves watching most Palace matches. Most of us were active players, so we decided to form Crystal Palace Ghana as a community of fans who play football matches with other communities.

Gradually, we announced ourselves throughout many communities as a result of numerous wins and the passion we showed for the club. Many communities were surprised about our love for South London. Neighbouring communities even troll us when Palace lose matches in the Premier League – but we show more passion.

Eventually, in 2019, we joined social media to solidify our community. Palace fans on Twitter were so hospitable, and we enjoyed interacting with them. A big thank you to Palace fans Sean in the UK, Eagle-Eyed Football in the UK, and Jose from Portugal.

Palace fans on Twitter set up a GoFundMe in 2021 to purchase jerseys, boots, and other accessories for us. The fans wholeheartedly donated to the GoFundMe, and Palace Co-owner John Textor supported us with a donation.

We have about 30 members consisting of passionate fans, players, doctors, accountants, data analysts, caterers and many more. Many young and old people in the community support Palace. We meet almost every week to discuss matches and Premier League results. We mostly watch Crystal Palace matches together.

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

We are so optimistic about the final because it’s long overdue for us to win a trophy!

Having been twice runners-up, we believe this an opportunity God has given us to make up for previous losses. We lost those games to Manchester United – but sorry to Manchester City because they'll have to pay for what their Manchester rivals have denied us!

Considering our statistics against City this season, we believe our team will be tough for them. They beat us 5-2 at the Etihad – and we will return the favour at Wembley.

What are your thoughts on Oliver Glasner and his Palace team?

We're happy with this Palace team and we believe that in the future, we can be a threat to all the top Premier League teams.

Hats off to Eze, Sarr, Guéhi, Henderson, Mateta, Eddie Nketiah, Adam Wharton and all the players. We saw the semi-final post-match talk Oliver Glasner had with the players, and we see their desire to make history for the team.

Glasner has been impressive so far and we are pleased with what he’s doing. We hope he stays with us for a long time. He's taking us a step further.

As a group, how did you watch the semi-final?

We were so confident about the semi-final, despite Villa’s brilliance in the Champions League, because we'd previously beaten them this season.

We watched the match together. The mood was calm and, God being so great, we won convincingly. Some fans from other teams joined us with the aim of joking with us if we lost – but the cheers were for us that day.

What was your favourite moment from that day?

Our favourite moment was Sarr’s second goal. We were already celebrating and... boom, he scored the third goal!

How will you be watching the Final, and how many of you will there be?

We are already imagining the atmosphere at Wembley and we will create our own Palace atmosphere here, as we gather to watch the Final.

We will prepare food and enjoy the Final together. I don’t know what will happen to the food if we lose... but we believe it’s going to be joyous atmosphere from the start of the match!

About 20 of us will be watching together. The others are not around at the moment, so they will be watching from their locations, but we'll keep chats active in our Palace WhatsApp group chat!

What would be your message to the Palace players?

We know how difficult it is to get to this stage, especially competing with top clubs, but we are in the Final. It's just one step and we are champions. Let’s go all out and make history for Crystal Palace.

We are not intimidated by Manchester City. We have been denied the FA cup twice, but we are winning it this time.

Let’s go Eagles. Do this for the fans. Do this for Palace for Life Foundation. We can’t wait to sing Glad All Over when we win!

Good luck from Crystal Palace Ghana!

Finally... pre-match prediction?

We will beat Manchester City by three goals to one. Eze, Sarr and Mateta will get on the score sheet.

Follow Crystal Palace Ghana on X.

Palace in... Hong Kong

Tell us a little bit about your group.

Adam O'Domhnaill: There've always been Crystal Palace supporters in Hong Kong. We are a diverse bunch of predominantly expats, from students to pensioners and from all walks of life, but the one thing that brings us together is our love for Palace.

Some of the group have been here for decades, others come and go, but really since our latest Premier League era, and with the help of social media, we have been able to come together.

Helped by posts on Holmesdale Online and other forums, 12 Palace fans watched the playoff win, and this inspired the fans there to watch Premier League games together, as matches became easier to watch.

A small group met to watch the Tottenham game in August 2013, and by chance met another couple of fellow Palace fans in another bar, and the group continued to increase in number, with newcomers and visitors finding us through a Facebook group and an X page, and a WhatsApp groups for regular attendees.

10 years ago there were as many as 20 or 30 people meeting up to watch matches every week in a pub – these days, not so many, but a number of the Hong Kong Crystal Palace fans will be travelling to Wembley.

It was before my time in Hong Kong but the trip for the Premier League Asia Trophy in 2017 saw Steve Parish and Mark Bright alongside members of the squad.

For any Saturday or Sunday game we will often have fans out watching.

With a seven- or eight-hour time difference this can involve watching into the small hours, while a number of hardcore fans will wake up at 3am or 4am to watch midweek games before work from the comfort of their own homes!

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

There's a cautious optimism. Glasner has created a great dressing room environment, with a lot of belief.

In both league games with City we've had our moments and posed them problems, and on our day we can beat anyone.

What are your thoughts on Oliver Glasner and his Palace team?

Glasner is extremely popular amongst the Hong Kong Crystal Palace fanbase. He's managed minutes very well in recent weeks, using the bench effectively to get the balance between keeping players active but also resting where needed.

The squad morale is off the charts, with a good blend of characters with a lot of belief.

As a supporter group, how did you watch the semi-final?

Queen Victoria pub in Wan Chai. We had a group close to 20 in number, almost unheard off for a post-midnight kick-off!

What was your favourite moment from that day?

Mateta going past the defender in the first half got a lot of cheers, while Sarr's goal to clinch it sparked jubilant scenes.

Having almost all our (known) Palace supporting contingent (along with a couple of extras) watching such an emphatic win together made for a wonderful night, finished off with the traditional victory black sambuca and renditions of Palace chants at 2am!

How will you be watching the Final, and how many of you will there be?

The same pub as we've used for the entire cup run (Queen Victoria Wan Chai). Over the last couple of years we've switched venues a couple of times but Queen Victoria has been our good luck charm for the Cup run – hopefully it continues on Sunday.

We're Expecting around 10 of our Palace contingent, but given it's a Saturday night in Wan Chai, we'll get more than a few neutrals in our corner. As previously mentioned a number will be representing us at Wembley.

Would you have any message for the players?

To quote former Palace manager Neil Warnock, 'enjoy yourself, but enjoy it by being (expletive) disciplined!'

What’s your pre-match prediction?

I don't want to jinx it by predicting a win, we are the underdogs on paper but more than capable of securing a historic win.

Come on you Palace!

Palace in... Japan

Tell us a little bit about your group.

Takumi Fujii: We were formed in 2018. Usually, around 10 members join our meetings, which are held at lunchtime kick-offs – because of the time difference!

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

The most excited we've been since our group was formed!

What are your thoughts on Oliver Glasner and his Palace team?

Even objectively, this team deserves to be in the Final!

We have good players in every position, and Oliver Glasner has given the players great discipline, and made the supporters smile.

As a group, how did you watch the semi-final?

We watched the game from our own places (because the game was not a lunchtime kick-off)!

What was your favourite moment from that day?

Ebs' amazing goal!

How will you be watching the Final, and how many of you will there be?

The supporters club will hold a meeting in Tokyo. Several dozen Eagles supporters in Japan will join our meeting and watch.

Personally, the founder will fly to Wembley and watch the match.

Would you have any message for the players?

COYP!! Let’s win the Final!

そして鎌田選手、同じ日本人として決勝の地で最高のプレーを期待しています！

(Meaning: As Japanese people, we expect Kamada to perform best!)

Finally... pre-match prediction?

2-1, Palace win!

Follow CPFC Japan on X.

Palace in... Norway

Tell us a little bit about your group.

Kai Lindseth: These football cards came in bubblegum packs in the 1970s. 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 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.

It was fantastic because I had never really been able to talk Palace with people around me. I have been involved for the past 33 years now!

Read more here about 'Ørneblikket’ (The Eagle Eye) which has been running since 1991, making it the world’s longest-running Palace magazine.
How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

Very excited ahead of the game.

I have a feeling this is our moment – finally. Of course, City will be favourites, but we have shown we can take them on and I've been having this feeling since the third round that this may finally be our year.

It adds to it that the game is on Norway's National day too!

What are your thoughts on Oliver Glasner and his Palace team?

I love Ollie Glasner! I think he may well be the best manager we've ever had, and he seems to have instilled a lot of fight and positivity in the team.

When they are on fire, they are playing great football, and have exciting players all over the pitch. As a squad, we are probably a bit thin most places, but our best XI can take on anyone.

As a group, how did you watch the semi-final?

We were around 10 of us in Oslo city centre, watching the game in a big sports pub. We had a great time!

What was your favourite moment from that day?

I was quite nervy all day and went for a long walk in the woods here at home before heading to the pub.

My favourite moment was probably Sarr's 2-0 goal. It was then I felt sure that we were going to the Final.

How will you be watching the Final, and how many of you will there be?

I'm off to Wembley of course! We are at least 20 Norwegians who will travel to the game and spend the weekend in Croydon.

I'm sure every Palace fan in Norway will be watching, but as it is our National Day, with big festivities all around, it might be a little tricky for some to get time off!

Would you have any message for the players?

Make us proud. Make yourselves proud. Give it your best!

Finally... pre-match prediction?

2-0 Palace.

Palace in... Poland

Tell us a little bit about your group.

Michał Backiel: CPFC Polska was founded in 2013 by me – a Polish fan who lives in Białystok, a city in North-Eastern Poland.

Since then, there have been several group meetings in Poland and three trips from Poland to England for matches. We often travel individually to watch a match live, because organising a trip of a large group is difficult.

Many Polish fans live in London and regularly attend Crystal Palace matches. The group consists of several dozen people who are really involved in the life of the CPFC Polska community.

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

We are excited. We believe this is our year and we will win this trophy!

What are your thoughts on Oliver Glasner and his Palace team?

It's a great group of players, there's a great atmosphere, the players are committed and work well together.

We have a talented manager who has had a lot of success in his career.

If we can win this final and qualify for Europe, then hopefully the club will sign some new players and we'll have a great adventure!

As a group, how did you watch the semi-final?

A few of us watched the match live, the rest of the fans watched the match on TV. It will be the same for the Final.

We will have a few of our members at Wembley – the rest will go to pubs in Poland or will watch the matches at home.

I hope that we will meet this year in the pub for a beer and celebrate success – that is, Crystal Palace winning the final.

How will you be watching the Final, and how many of you will there be?

My information is that there will be about 10 Polish fans at Wembley, but this number may vary as not all fans have contacted us to let us know if they managed to buy a ticket.

For all of them, it will be a great day and an exciting event.

Would you have any message for the players?

Believe in yourselves and fulfill your and our dreams!

We will be with you with all our hearts, you have our huge support and we hope that you will be remembered in the history of this club for eternity.

Finally... pre-match prediction?

We will win, there is no other option! 2-1 to Palace.

Palace in... the United States

New York Eagles

How are you feeling ahead of the Final?

Bryan: Weirdly enough, I feel tranquil. The result is out of my control, but I’m at peace knowing that Glasner will prepare the squad as best as possible for them to be dialled in for the big occasion on Saturday.

What are your thoughts on Oliver Glasner and his Palace team?

The steadfast character in this team through the bad and the good times is a big reason why I’m feeling calm at the moment before the Final.

It starts at the top with Glasner – someone who was merely a “dream” appointment of mine for Palace when I watched him manage Wolfsburg in 2020/21 – and the competitive culture he’s stamped into the team.

The individuals in the squad are great in their own right, but together, they’re greater than the sum of their parts.

As a group, how did you watch the semi-final?

I was out of town that weekend, but we had a wonderful turnout of supporters at the Football Factory in Midtown Manhattan (above).

And we’ll be back at the Football Factory for the Final!

What was your favourite moment from that day?

Sarr scoring the second goal so quickly after the missed penalty was when it finally felt real – Palace were really on their way to the FA Cup Final.

How will you be watching the Final, and how many of you will there be?

I will be at Wembley for the Final!

We’re all seated separately from one another, but a group of more than 10 New York Eagles will be at Wembley for the Final.

The Football Factory will host our contingent watching the game back home in the States. If it’s like the semi-final, we’ll have 25-30 Palace supporters there at the Football Factory.