Anti-Marinakis chant by Crystal Palace fans targets Nottingham Forest owner, as their UEFA appeal for cup victory is rejected.
Crystal Palace Demoted from Europa League to Europa Conference League
Crystal Palace have been demoted from the UEFA Europa League to the UEFA Europa Conference League for the 2025/2026 season due to violations of UEFA's multi-club ownership (MCO) regulations. The ruling was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which rejected Palace’s appeal against UEFA’s decision.
The cause of Crystal Palace's demotion stems from American businessman John Textor having ownership influence over both Crystal Palace and Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon), who both qualified for European competition. UEFA rules prohibit clubs with linked ownership from competing in the same UEFA tournament. Palace failed to meet a UEFA deadline (March 5, 2025) to restructure ownership to comply with the regulations.
As a result, despite Palace qualifying for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup and finishing 12th in the Premier League, Lyon retained the Europa League spot based on their 6th place league finish. Nottingham Forest, who originally qualified for the Conference League, were elevated to the Europa League in Palace’s place, based on the CAS ruling.
Palace publicly criticized UEFA’s MCO rules, claiming they rendered sporting merit meaningless and highlighting difficulties in complying with complex ownership rules. The club also noted that John Textor sold his shares in Palace after the ruling but argued the timing was too late to affect competition eligibility.
During the FA Community Shield match at Wembley Stadium, Eagles fans demonstrated against UEFA, chanting "F**k UEFA, F**k UEFA, F**k UEFA, F**k UEFA - and Marinakis". The FA Community Shield was a pre-season match against Liverpool, which Palace lost.
In summary, Crystal Palace’s demotion resulted from UEFA’s enforcement of multi-club ownership rules aimed at preventing conflicts of interest in the same European tournaments. This marked their first participation in European competition by winning the FA Cup but forced them to compete in the lower-tier Conference League instead of the Europa League, with another English club (Nottingham Forest) benefitting from their demotion.
Read also:
- Court petitions to reverse established decision on same-sex marriage legalization
- Commemoration of 200 Days of American Resurgence Unveiled
- Minister Bärbel Bas expresses doubts about her tenure as a minister following a recent interview during the summer.
- Politicians from both Republican and Democratic parties are urging President Trump to maintain the security agreement with Australia and the United Kingdom.
