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Crystal Palace will play in the UEFA Conference League this season after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld UEFA’s decision to demote the club from the Europa League over breaches of multi-club ownership rules.
In a ruling published today, CAS confirmed that Palace’s appeal had been rejected, and their Europa League spot will now go to Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest.
The case revolved around John Textor, founder of Eagle Football Holdings, who CAS found had held shares in both Crystal Palace and French side Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and exercised decisive influence over both clubs as of UEFA’s ownership compliance assessment date.
Lyon have also qualified for the Europa League, creating a conflict under UEFA’s multi-club ownership (MCO) regulations, which prohibit individuals or entities from exerting control or influence over more than one club in the same UEFA competition.
CAS: “UEFA Regulations Are Clear”
In its summary decision, CAS stated:
“The UEFA regulations are clear and do not provide flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date.”
Palace had appealed UEFA’s July 11 decision, hoping to reverse the ruling and have either Forest or Lyon excluded instead. The FA Cup winners, who also lifted the Community Shield on Sunday after a 1–0 victory over Liverpool, were seeking to compete in the Europa League for the first time in the club’s history.
Club chairman Steve Parish personally attended the in-person hearing in Lausanne on August 8, and had warned before the ruling that “steps” would be considered if the verdict did not go in the club’s favour.
However, CAS’ expedited decision — delivered in just over two weeks — closes the door on Palace’s Europa League hopes for this season. A full written judgment is expected in the coming weeks unless both parties request confidentiality.
Crystal Palace will now begin their European campaign in the UEFA Conference League, the third tier of UEFA competitions. Nottingham Forest, who finished mid-table in the Premier League last season, now receive a significant boost with unexpected Europa League qualification. The ruling avoids any further sanctions or exclusions for Lyon, who retain their Europa League spot alongside Forest.
What This Means for the Clubs Involved
The timing adds extra drama ahead of the Premier League clash between Palace and Forest on August 24 at Selhurst Park, which now carries even more weight in light of today’s ruling.