Why Crystal Palace Got Kicked Out of the Europa League by UEFA
- English Premier League team Crystal Palace have been demoted to the UEFA Europa Conference League next season
- The Eagles defeated Manchester City 1-0 to win the Emirates FA Cup, which qualified them for the UEFA Europa League
- American businessman John Textor has been accused of violating UEFA's multi-club ownership rules
Crystal Palace have been dropped to the UEFA Europa Conference League ahead of the 2025/26 season.
The Eagles had qualified for the Europa League after beating Manchester City 1-0 in the 2024/25 Emirates FA Cup at Wembley Stadium.
Crystal Palace finished in 12th position with 13 wins, 14 draws, and 11 losses last season in the English Premier League.
Source: Getty Images
Reasons behind Palace demotion
According to UEFA, American businessman John Textor holds major stakes in Crystal Palace and Lyon, stating that it breaches the multi-club ownership rules.
The governing body had set a deadline for Textor to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring, but Palace missed the March 1, 202,5, deadline.
The Eagles told UEFA that the billionaire does not hold any decisive influence in the club, after selling 43% of his stake to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, per BBC.
Textor also resigned from his leadership role at Lyon when the club was relegated to the Ligue 2 following their financial difficulties.
However, the seven-time Ligue 1 champions won their appeal against their relegation, which means they will take part in the Europa League after finishing sixth position last season.
Following the CFCB’s assessment of all other relevant conditions included in the settlement agreement, Olympique Lyonnais will not be excluded from the 2025/26 UEFA club competitions. UEFA, in a statement, said:
“Consequently, the CFCB First Chamber pursued the assessment of the documentation submitted by Olympique Lyonnais and Crystal Palace and concluded that the clubs breached, as at 1 March 2025, the multi-club ownership criteria.”
Palace will appeal this decision via the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), per SkySports.
Source: Getty Images
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest are set to replace Crystal Palace in next season's UEFA Europa League, per Sports Star.
Forest finished in seventh place with 19 wins, 8 draws, and 11 losses in the 2024/25 EPL season.
The club joins Newcastle and Aston Villa after an impressive season.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was unhappy with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo when the club drew 2-2 against relegated Leicester City, which saw the club drop two points.
Super Eagles duo Taiwo Awoniyi and Ola Aina will have the opportunity to taste European football and cement their status in the club.
Man United risk Champions League ban
Legit.ng earlier reported that Manchester United faced a UEFA Champions League ban because of their co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe also holds a significant stake in Ligue 1 side OGC Nice and UEFA rules prohibit two clubs under the same ownership from competing in the same European tournament.
Source: Legit.ng
