Crystal Palace Banned from Europa League Due to Ownership Conflict with Lyon

Crystal Palace’s hopes of competing in the 2025-26 Europa League were dashed after UEFA disqualified them for violating rules on dual club ownership. The controversy arose because John Textor, a major shareholder of Palace, also holds controlling shares in French club Lyon. UEFA’s regulations prohibit two clubs with overlapping ownership from participating in the same European competition.
Since Lyon finished higher in their domestic league than Palace, UEFA awarded Lyon the Europa League spot, demoting Palace to the Conference League instead. Nottingham Forest, who took Palace’s place in the Europa League, also benefited financially, receiving the initial funding Palace would have earned. Crystal Palace has announced plans to appeal the decision through the Court of Arbitration for Sport, arguing that Textor had sold his shares to another owner, but the deal was not finalized before UEFA’s deadline.
The ruling not only impacts the clubs financially but also disrupts the Premier League schedule. Matches involving Palace and Forest may need rescheduling due to potential clashes with European fixtures. This situation has brought attention to the growing complications of multi-club ownership in European football.
UEFA now faces pressure to reassess its rules to better fit the evolving football landscape, where owning stakes in multiple teams has become more common. The case highlights the challenges of maintaining fair competition amid complex ownership structures.
From:News
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