Cyrstal Palace 'very angry' at Europa League statement as appeal stance revealed

Crystal Palace are expected to lodge an appeal having been forced to drop down to the Conference League after falling foul of UEFA’s rules on multi-club ownership.

Palace qualified for the Europa League thanks to their FA Cup final victory over Manchester City in May, but under Article Five of UEFA’s club competition regulations, clubs wishing to be eligible for qualification in 2025-26 had to be able to demonstrate as of March 1 that no individual or legal entity had control or influence over more than one club in the same competition.

UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) determined that American businessman John Textor’s interest in both Palace and Lyon meant only one of the clubs could enter the Europa League, with Lyon’s higher league position edging out Palace.

Palace will drop into the Conference League, with Nottingham Forest expected to replace them in the Europa League, though this was not immediately confirmed by UEFA. Forest have so far today not communicated anything on the issue.

However, minutes after the UEFA statement dropped, it was claimed by Sky Sports that Palace are not happy. The report says: “"First of all, I can tell you that Palace will be appealing to CAS. They are going to challenge this and are very angry about what UEFA have done….

"Lyon, who finished sixth in the French first division and have enormous debts, around €400m, they will play in the Europa League. While Palace, who have never broken any FFP rules, have been demoted.”

CAS operates a fast-track appeal system which means the case should reach a conclusion before the Europa League draw. All of which means the second-tier competition spot is now Forest’s to lose – albeit they have not been confirmed as qualified just yet.

The UEFA statement read: "The CFCB First Chamber had opened proceedings against Crystal Palace and Olympique Lyonnais due to a potential conflict with the multi-club ownership rule provided for in Article 5 of the UEFA Club Competitions Regulations.

"On 9 July 2025, the appeal instance of the French financial control authority (DNCG) decided not to relegate Olympique Lyonnais to Ligue 2. Consequently, and following an assessment by the CFCB of all the other relevant conditions included in the settlement agreement, Olympique Lyonnais will not be excluded from the 2025/26 UEFA club competitions (see media release of 30 June 2025).

"Consequently, the CFCB First Chamber pursued the assessment of the documentation submitted by Olympique Lyonnais and Crystal Palace and concluded that the clubs breached, as at 1 March 2025, the multi-club ownership criteria foreseen in Art 5.01 of the UEFA Club Competition Regulations.

"For this reason, and in accordance with the provisions set in Art. 5.02, 5.03 and 5.04 of the UEFA Club Competitions Regulations, the CFCB First Chamber decided:

• To accept Olympique Lyonnais’ admission to the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League; and

• To reject Crystal Palace’s admission to the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League and to accept Crystal Palace’s admission to the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League.

"The present decision may be appealed against before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in accordance with Articles 62 and 63 of the UEFA Statutes."

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