UEFA has demoted FA Cup winners Crystal Palace to the UEFA Conference League, citing a violation of its multi-club ownership regulations. As a result, Nottingham Forest are expected to take Palace’s place in the UEFA Europa League, pending a final ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The decision follows an investigation by UEFA which found that Crystal Palace breached rules preventing clubs under shared ownership or decisive influence from competing in the same European competition. Palace’s majority shareholder, John Textor, also holds a significant stake in French club Olympique Lyonnais, creating a conflict under UEFA guidelines.
Textor was given a deadline of March 1 to resolve the ownership issue. Although he recently agreed to sell his shares in Crystal Palace to American billionaire Woody Johnson, UEFA ruled that the sale came too late to satisfy compliance requirements for the upcoming European season.
Lyon, which had faced similar concerns, avoided sanctions after successfully appealing their relegation from Ligue 1. That outcome secured their eligibility for European competition.
Crystal Palace has confirmed it will appeal UEFA’s decision at CAS in an effort to overturn the demotion and reclaim its place in the Europa League.
