Crystal Palace to Play in Conference League After Losing Appeal

Palace demoted to Conference League After CAS ruling

Crystal Palace to participate in the UEFA Conference League after losing appeal against UEFA's decision to demote them from the Europa League.

“UEFA’s decision has wider implications for the governance of the sport...”

Crystal Palace is exploring legal options after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed their appeal against UEFA's decision to demote them from the Europa League to the Conference League. The demotion stems from a breach of UEFA's multi-club ownership rules, as the Eagle Football Group, founded by John Textor, simultaneously owned majority stakes in Olympique Lyonnais and held shares in Palace at the time of assessment on March.

Key Points:

UEFA's Decision: Upheld by CAS, resulting in Palace's demotion to the Conference League, with Nottingham Forest replacing them in the Europa League.

Palace's Stance: The club argues that UEFA's decision undermines sporting merit and deprives fans of witnessing the team's historic first appearance in the Europa League.

Legal Advice: Palace is seeking legal counsel on possible next steps, bolstered by a recent European Court of Justice ruling allowing for more extensive scrutiny of CAS decisions under EU law.

“The decision by UEFA and followed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport shows that sporting merit is rendered meaningless,” Palace, who had qualified for the Europa League as FA Cup winners, said in a statement.

“It appears that certain clubs, organisations and individuals have a unique privilege and power ... while we respect the CAS tribunal members, the process is designed to severely restrict and, in our case, make it almost impossible to receive a fair hearing.

At a time when we should be celebrating our victory in the Community Shield at Wembley, the decision by UEFA and followed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport shows that sporting merit is rendered meaningless.

Full statement 👇#CPFC

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 12, 2025

“UEFA’s decision has wider implications for the governance of the sport. A combination of poorly conceived regulations and their unequal application means our brilliant fans will be deprived of the chance to watch this team compete in the Europa League for the first time in our history.”

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has upheld UEFA's decision to demote Crystal Palace from the Europa League to the Conference League, citing breaches of multi-club ownership regulations. This ruling comes after US businessman John Textor's Eagle Football Holdings sold its stake in Palace last month. 

Here's what happened:

The Issue: Crystal Palace and Lyon shared ownership under Textor's Eagle Football Holdings, which UEFA deemed a breach of multi-club ownership rules for the Europa League.

Palace's Argument: The club argued that Textor didn't have a significant role in Palace's decision-making and that they shouldn't be penalized for not addressing the ownership structure by the March 1 deadline.

CAS Ruling: The panel concluded that Textor did have influence over both clubs and that Palace received fair treatment compared to Lyon and Nottingham Forest, which will take Palace's spot in the Europa League.

Next Steps: Palace will now play in the Conference League playoffs against the loser of the Europa League qualifier between Fredrikstad and Midtjylland. If they win, they'll secure a spot in the league phase of the Conference League.

Crystal Palace is set to play in the UEFA Conference League after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed their appeal against UEFA's decision to demote them from the Europa League. The demotion stems from a breach of UEFA's multi-club ownership rules due to Eagle Football Holdings' simultaneous stake in both Palace and Lyon.

Upcoming Matches:

Conference League Playoff: Crystal Palace will face the loser of Fredrikstad FK/FC Midtjylland on August 21 and 28, 2025, at Selhurst Park and potentially away.

Potential Financial Impact: The demotion could result in a significant financial blow to the club.

Palace's Stance:

Crystal Palace argues that the recent European Court of Justice ruling, which allows national courts to conduct in-depth reviews of CAS decisions to ensure compliance with EU law, will lead to greater scrutiny of sports arbitration. Palace chairman Steve Parish has described the demotion as “a terrible injustice.”

“Only then will fairness and due process be granted to every team,” Palace added.

“Although we continue to take legal advice on the next steps, we will compete in the Conference League.”

Crystal Palace, the 2024 Community Shield winners after defeating Liverpool on penalties, will participate in the UEFA Conference League qualifying playoff round later this month. 

Here's what's next for the team:

Conference League Playoff Matches:

• First Leg: August 21, 2025, at Selhurst Park against the loser of Fredrikstad FK/FC Midtjylland
• Second Leg: August 28, 2025, away against the same opponent

Potential Opponents: The winner of Fredrikstad FK vs FC Midtjylland will face Crystal Palace in the playoff round

Competition Overview: The Conference League features a new format with a single 36-team league stage, replacing the traditional group stage. Teams will play six matches against different opponents, with the top eight advancing directly to the round of 16.

Upcoming Matches:

Conference League Playoff: Crystal Palace will play against the loser of Fredrikstad FK/FC Midtjylland on August 21 and 28, 2025, at Selhurst Park and potentially away.

Potential Financial Impact: The demotion could result in a significant financial blow to the club, estimated at around £20 million.