"Henderson expresses that a demotion for the Europa League by the Palace would undermine the value of the competition"
Crystal Palace Demoted from Europa League, to Play in Conference League Instead
In a disappointing turn of events for Crystal Palace, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the club's appeal against UEFA's decision to remove them from the 2025/2026 Europa League. As a result, Crystal Palace will now participate in the UEFA Conference League instead. Nottingham Forest will take their place in the Europa League.
The drama unfolded after UEFA found American businessman John Textor, president of the Eagle Football Group, had control or influence over both Crystal Palace and French club Lyon, violating UEFA multi-club ownership regulations. Crystal Palace qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup, but were moved down a tier because Lyon, also owned by Textor, qualified for the Europa League through Ligue 1.
The English football club contested the demotion, arguing the decision was unfair and objecting to Nottingham Forest replacing them and Lyon's participation. However, CAS rejected all these arguments, confirming Crystal Palace’s participation in the Conference League for the coming season rather than the Europa League.
Crystal Palace's chairman, Steve Parish, has been fighting against the demotion, but the latest decision leaves the club considering further legal options. Crystal Palace's manager, Henderson, expressed his disappointment about the situation on BBC Radio 5 Live after leading the team to a FA Community Shield victory over Premier League champions Liverpool.
Meanwhile, the sale of John Textor's stake in Crystal Palace to Robert Wood "Woody" Johnson has not yet been completed. The sale of Textor's stake in Crystal Palace to Johnson is expected to resolve the ownership issue, but until the deal is finalised, Crystal Palace remains in breach of the multi-club ownership rules.
Despite the setback, Crystal Palace can take solace in their FA Cup victory, which earned them a place in European competition. However, they did not meet the ownership rules at the time, leading to their demotion by UEFA's club financial control body in July.
In the meantime, Olympique Lyonnais, a Ligue 1 club that was allowed to compete in a second-tier continental competition, will take Crystal Palace's place in the Europa League. The decision was announced on August 11, 2025, after a 10-hour CAS hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Although Crystal Palace won the FA Cup, qualifying them for European competition, they were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League due to violations of UEFA multi-club ownership regulations.
- The measurement was taken as Crystal Palace and French club Lyon, both owned by American businessman John Textor, were found to have shared too much control, breaching UEFA's rules.
- With the decision confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Crystal Palace will now face the challenge of competing in European leagues beyond the Premier League, such as the European-leagues, while Olympique Lyonnais takes their place in the Europa League.
