UEFA has demoted FA Cup champions Crystal Palace to the UEFA Conference League, citing a breach of its multi-club ownership regulations. As a result, Nottingham Forest are expected to replace them in the UEFA Europa League, pending a final decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The decision comes after UEFA determined that Crystal Palace violated rules that prohibit clubs with the same owner or individuals with decisive influence from participating in the same UEFA competition. John Textor, Palace’s largest shareholder, also owns French club Lyon, creating a conflict under UEFA’s rules.
Textor was given until March 1 to resolve the multi-club ownership issue. While he recently agreed to sell his shares in Crystal Palace to U.S. billionaire Woody Johnson, UEFA deemed the transaction too late to meet compliance deadlines.
Lyon, which faced similar scrutiny, avoided penalties after winning their appeal against relegation from Ligue 1. That decision cleared the French club to compete in European tournaments this season.
Despite the setback, Crystal Palace officials have confirmed plans to appeal UEFA’s ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking to overturn the demotion and retain their Europa League spot.
