Crystal Palace have been booted out of next season’s UEFA Europa League for breaching the body’s multi-club ownership rules, in a decision that has sent shockwaves through English football.
The Eagles, who secured their place in Europe after a stunning FA Cup triumph, will now compete in the less prestigious UEFA Conference League. Their slot in the Europa League has been handed to Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League.
UEFA, in a statement on Thursday, said the move followed an investigation into Eagle Football Holdings — the company that owns significant stakes in both Crystal Palace and French club Olympique Lyonnais. Under UEFA’s strict rules, no two clubs under the same ownership are allowed to participate in the same European competition.
“The present decision may be appealed against before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS),” UEFA noted in its ruling, leaving the door slightly open for Palace to fight back.
Palace had contested UEFA’s findings, insisting that John Textor, the American billionaire behind Eagle Football Holdings, does not wield “decisive influence” at Selhurst Park. But UEFA wasn’t convinced.
Interestingly, Lyon — who finished sixth in Ligue 1 and are also owned by Eagle Football Holdings — will retain their place in the Europa League, leaving Palace to bear the brunt of the ownership conflict.
UEFA had earlier warned clubs of potential sanctions and set a March 1, 2025, deadline to resolve any ownership overlaps. Palace, however, failed to comply within the stipulated timeframe.
Adding to the drama, Lyon had only recently won an appeal against relegation over financial irregularities. Had their demotion stood, Palace would have avoided expulsion as Lyon would have been excluded from European competition. Instead, with Lyon back in Ligue 1 and holding their Europa League ticket, Palace were forced out.
As it stands, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest will now represent England in the Europa League, while Palace are left to settle for Conference League football — a bitter pill to swallow after their FA Cup heroics.
