Limited Flexibility: England's Cup Victory Excluded from Europa League Participation
Crystal Palace Excluded from Europa League Due to Multi-Club Ownership Rule
Crystal Palace's participation in the 2025/2026 UEFA Europa League has been terminated, despite qualifying on sporting merit. The club has been relegated to the UEFA Conference League following a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that upheld UEFA's ruling.
The reason for Crystal Palace's exclusion is the breach of UEFA's multi-club ownership regulations. American investor John Textor, who is the majority shareholder of Crystal Palace and the owner of Olympique Lyon, was deemed to have decisive influence over both clubs. According to UEFA rules, clubs cannot compete in the same competition if a single entity exercises decisive control over more than one club in the competition.
The UEFA regulations were clear and left no room for interpretation in this case. The decision not to allow Crystal Palace in the Europa League is not considered unfair compared to Olympique Lyon and Nottingham Forest, who will take Crystal Palace's spot in the competition.
The CAS hearing that led to this decision took place on Friday. Crystal Palace argued that Textor's influence had ended, but the CAS upheld UEFA's ruling, emphasizing the rigidity of the regulations and the assessment deadline compliance.
Crystal Palace, coached by Oliver Glasner, appealed to the CAS against this decision, but their appeal was dismissed. The club had qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup, but they will now participate in the UEFA Conference League instead.
John Textor agreed to a deal to sell his Crystal Palace shares, but the UEFA considered this step came too late. The decision is based on UEFA's regulations regarding "Multi-Club Ownership."
This rule is intended to prevent conflicts of interest and match-fixing. The case illustrates how regulatory compliance can override on-field achievements in UEFA competitions. Lyon was given preference for the Europa League due to their higher league position (6th) compared to Crystal Palace (12th).
Nottingham Forest, who were initially set for the Conference League play-off, will now take Crystal Palace's spot in the Europa League. This turn of events marks a significant change in the European club competition landscape for both clubs.
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