Crystal Palace Appeals Europa League Demotion Over Multi-Club Ownership Ruling

Crystal Palace has formally lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following UEFA’s decision to demote the club from the Europa League to the UEFA Europa Conference League. The appeal challenges UEFA’s ruling and names French club Lyon and Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest as additional parties affected by the decision.

The dispute centers around UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules. American businessman John Textor holds a minority stake in Crystal Palace while also serving as the majority owner of Lyon—both of which qualified for the Europa League. UEFA determined that this situation violates regulations designed to prevent conflicts of interest and maintain the integrity of its competitions.

UEFA’s financial control body found that Crystal Palace did not meet the March 1, 2025, deadline to provide proof of restructuring that would eliminate shared ownership influence. The club, however, maintains that Textor holds no “decisive influence” at Selhurst Park.

“We don’t think this is the right decision by any means,” said Palace chairman Steve Parish in a podcast last week. “We know, unequivocally, that John [Textor] didn’t have decisive influence over the club. We know we proved that beyond all reasonable doubt because it’s a fact.”

Despite these assertions, UEFA declined to accept Palace’s arguments. As a result, the club’s Europa League spot was provisionally awarded to Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season. Lyon, meanwhile, retained their place in the competition.

Palace’s appeal seeks a full annulment of UEFA’s decision and reinstatement in the Europa League at the expense of either Lyon or Nottingham Forest. The Court of Arbitration for Sport is expected to deliver a ruling by or before August 11—just one week after the draw for the Conference League play-off round.

The scheduling of European competitions adds further urgency to the matter. The two-legged Conference League play-off matches begin on August 21 and 28, while the Europa League group stage kicks off on September 24.

Under UEFA regulations, no two clubs controlled by the same individual or entity may participate in the same European competition if that person’s influence exceeds a certain threshold. Palace contends they are fully compliant, but until CAS reaches a final decision, the club’s European future remains uncertain.