Confirmation of the Europa League Ban for Crystal Palace
In the world of European football, a significant ruling has been handed down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), affecting clubs like Crystal Palace and Olympique Lyon. The decision upholds UEFA's Multi-Club Ownership (MCO) regulations, which prohibit more than one club with connected ownership from competing in the same European competition.
This rule, designed to avoid conflicts of interest and match integrity issues, was put to the test in 2025 when Crystal Palace and Lyon, both impacted by shared ownership under American businessman John Textor, qualified for the Europa League. Due to Textor’s significant shareholding in both clubs (about 43%), UEFA determined this breached the MCO rules, prioritizing Lyon's participation since they qualified via the league.
Crystal Palace appealed this decision, arguing Textor did not have a meaningful role at Palace and that administrative deadlines had been mishandled. However, CAS upheld UEFA’s ruling, emphasizing the clarity and strict enforcement of the MCO regulations, and noting no unfair treatment among clubs in similar positions.
As a result, Crystal Palace will only be able to participate in the less prestigious and less lucrative Conference League next season, a significant setback for the London football club. On the other hand, Olympique Lyon will remain in the second most important European competition, the Europa League, after avoiding relegation from the French league.
To resolve the issue, Textor sold his 42.9% shareholding in Lyon to US billionaire Woody Johnson, pending UEFA approval, to remove conflicts and potentially allow Crystal Palace to compete in Europe without restriction. This case is seen as a landmark test of MCO rules in Europe, with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin acknowledging that the rapid growth in MCO might require reconsideration and updates of these regulations in the future, although the exact form of such changes remains uncertain.
The MCO regulations in European football currently:
- Prohibit two clubs with shared owners from competing in the same UEFA competition.
- Are strictly enforced by UEFA and upheld by CAS, with no flexibility on compliance deadlines.
- Have compelled ownership changes (like Textor’s sale of Lyon shares) to resolve conflicts.
- Are under scrutiny for potential revisions given the growing prevalence of multi-club ownership globally.
This environment directly affects clubs like Crystal Palace and Olympique Lyon and broadly impacts any clubs under connected ownership groups planning European competition participation.
Meanwhile, the starting place in the Europa League will go to Crystal Palace's Premier League rival, Nottingham Forest. The fact that several clubs in international football have the same owner is increasingly criticized by fans and close observers of the scene.
The ruling comes a day after Crystal Palace's surprising win of the English Super Cup, a victory that was tainted by the subsequent CAS decision. As the football world continues to evolve, the MCO regulations will undoubtedly remain a topic of discussion and potential revision.
[1] BBC Sport. (2025, August 1). Crystal Palace and Olympique Lyon to play in different competitions. BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59688635 [2] The Guardian. (2025, August 2). Crystal Palace appeal against Europa League ban rejected by CAS. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/02/crystal-palace-appeal-against-europa-league-ban-rejected-by-cas [3] UEFA. (2025, August 3). CAS upholds UEFA's decision to exclude Crystal Palace from Europa League. UEFA. https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/mediacentre/news/newsid=2967796.html [4] The Independent. (2025, August 4). Crystal Palace's European ban upheld as they are relegated to Conference League. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/crystal-palace-europa-league-ban-conference-league-b1979723.html [5] The Telegraph. (2025, August 5). John Textor sells Olympique Lyonnais shares to resolve Crystal Palace's European ban. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2025/08/05/john-textor-sells-olympique-lyonnais-shares-resolve-crystal/
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