LONDON/LAUSANNE: Crystal Palace have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in an attempt to obtain a reversal of UEFA’s decision to drop them from Europa League to Conference League because of the European federation’s multi-club ownership rules.

UEFA, French club Lyon and Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest are the subjects of complaint.

The Eagles were demoted because American businessman John Textor owns a stake in the club and is the majority owner of Lyon, who have also qualified for the Europa League.

Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, will replace FA Cup winners Palace in the Europa League should the decision stand.

In their appeal, Palace have requested an annulment of the decision by UEFA’s financial control body and readmission to the Europa League in place of either Forest or Lyon.

A decision is expected on or before August 11, a week after the draw for the Conference League play-off round. The two-legged play-off matches are scheduled for August 21 and 28 while the Europa League group stage begins on September 24.

The rules of European football’s governing body state that clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition. The rules set a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show proof of ownership restructuring, a deadline Palace missed.

They argued Textor does not hold any decisive influence at the club but UEFA did not accept the defence.

Palace chairman Steve Parish said last week that he was “very hopeful” the decision would be overturned.

Uefa’s regulations demand a club must prove they are not “simultaneously involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration, and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition”.

Textor’s Eagle Football owns a 43pc stake in Palace and 77pc stake in Lyon, but the Premier League club argued they are an entity that operates entirely independently.

In June, Forest asked for clarity from UEFA on Palace’s position in Europe with the club standing to gain if Palace were demoted to the Conference League.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who controls Greek side Olympiakos, avoided regulations around multi-club ownership by diluting his control of the Premier League side.

Textor took similar steps to help Palace’s prospects of playing in the Europa League by agreeing to sell his 43pc stake to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson in June, but the deal is yet to be completed. Textor later also resigned from his leadership position at Lyon.

CAS statement:

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirms receipt of an appeal by Crystal Palace FC against UEFA, Nottingham Forest FC (Nottingham Forest) and Olympique Lyonnais (OL) concerning a decision by UEFA to remove Crystal Palace from the UEFA Europa League 2025/2026 due to an alleged breach of multi club ownership regulations.

The appeal filed on 21 July 2025 seeks to annul the decision by the UEFA Club Financial Control Body on 11 July 2025 which found Crystal Palace and OL non-compliant with multi club ownership regulations and placed Crystal Palace in the UEFA Conference League 2025/2026.

Alongside the annulment, Crystal Palace requests readmission to the UEFA Europa League 2025/2026 with Nottingham Forest’s admission rejected. In the alternative, Crystal Palace requests readmission to the UEFA Europa League 2025/2026 with OL’s admission rejected.

The Parties are currently exchanging written submissions in accordance with the arbitration rules governing CAS appeals procedures. Following this process, a hearing will be scheduled. CAS hearings are not open to the public unless agreed by the Court and all Parties. This will be an expedited procedure with an operative decision (without grounds) to be rendered on or before 11 August 2025.

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