Crystal Palace have been demoted to 2025-26 UEFA Conference League subject to appeal.
Palace qualified for this season’s UEFA Europa League by winning last season’s FA Cup but there was a multi-club ownership conflict involving John Textor, who also had a 40% share in France’s Lyon who had too qualified for the competition albeit via league position.
UEFA however values league positions as of higher importance than trophies won in the previous season which meant that Lyon were allowed to stay in the competition, having finished sixth in Ligue 1 whereas Palace had finished 11th in the Premier League.
Textor had resolved the multi-club ownership rule by selling his shares at Palace to Woody Johnson but UEFA weren’t satisfied by the sale in terms of allowing Palace to stay in the Europa League, whilst he later resigned from his leadership roles at Lyon amidst their financial issues.
Lyon meanwhile had been relegated to Ligue 2 due to financial mismanagement which would of resolved the crisis, yet they won an appeal to retain their Ligue 1 status which ensured their qualification for the Europa League via league position and caused Palace to be demoted to the Conference League.
Nottingham Forest instead are set to be promoted to the Europa League in Palace’s place subject to an appeal from the Eagles.
“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,” stated UEFA in an official statement.
UEFA also explained that both teams had been in breach of multi-club ownership rules of 1 March 2025 despite Palace having not been considered potential qualifiers for European competitions at that point, amidst their FA Cup run which eventually ended in unexpected glory.
UEFA consequently referred to Articles 5.02, 5.03 and 5.04 of UEFA Club Competitions Regulations which meant that Lyon were accepted into the Europa League at Palace’s expense.
‘zero possibility of a conflict of interest’
Palace published a response to the news of their demotion in which they blasted UEFA for failing to understand that they “… are not part of a multi-club operation and never have been.
“Further with the completion of the sale of Eagle football’s shareholding to Woody Johnson there will be zero possibility of a conflict of interest once the competition begins.”
Palace also vowed to plead their case in union with UEFA to achieve their Europa League spot, whilst seeking “… legal advice to consider our options, including an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).”
Chairman, Steve Parish also spoke to Sky Sports about the unfair ruling as he sympathised with supporters, players and staff who had dreamed of Europa League football
“We’re devastated for, most importantly, the supporters. I think the supporters of all clubs should be devastated for us because this is the dream.
“I’m devastated for the players, for the fans, for the staff. I think it’s a bad day for football.
“I think most football fans, right-minded football fans, will see what a terrible injustice this is for the football club.”
Paris also spoke of his wish for the protocols to be corrected to avoid a repeat situation in future.
“It’s one that I dearly hope somebody can remedy, because I do believe that nobody in football wants to see this. Nobody in football, and I don’t think UEFA, want to see this – clubs that rightfully qualify for a competition being locked out of that competition, on the most ridiculous technicality that you can imagine.
“We’re looking at all of the options at the moment. We would much prefer it if somebody intervened in this process. We believe it’s possible for Mr Čeferin or somebody else to do that.
“This is a rule we can’t comply with. A rule has been created that’s impossible for Crystal Palace, the majority owners of Crystal Palace, to comply with.
“A minority shareholder needed to either sell or place their shares in trust. We had no power to compel them to do that. So that part alone is completely incongruous.”
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