Crystal Palace Demoted to Conference League Amid Ownership Controversy

LONDON, England — Crystal Palace has been demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League after a ruling from UEFA‘s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) regarding club ownership conflicts. The decision has left the Premier League club stunned and seeking answers from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Palace qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup but soon faced scrutiny due to the ownership of John Textor, who holds a significant stake in both Palace and Lyon. This dual ownership exceeds UEFA’s limit of 30%, leading to concerns about compliance with multi-club ownership regulations.

Textor, who owns 77% of Lyon and 43.9% of Palace, expressed his disbelief about the verdict. “Honestly, I am stunned,” he told Reuters. He added that the sale process to comply with UEFA regulations began before the deadline but was still not enough to meet CFCB’s standards.

The CFCB’s decision means that Palace will have to navigate qualifying rounds if they are to participate in the Conference League, while Nottingham Forest will be promoted to the Europa League if Palace’s appeal to the CAS fails. Palace chairman Steve Parish described the ruling as a “terrible injustice” that threatens the integrity of football.

“We’re devastated. It’s a bad day for football,” Parish said in a statement. “Everybody knows we’re not part of a multi-club set-up. This is a ludicrous decision.” He urged for the appeal court to consider their argument against the ruling.

The ruling has drawn attention to broader issues surrounding club ownership regulations in European football, particularly after similar cases affected other clubs like Drogheda United and Győri ETO. The new financial compliance deadlines imposed by UEFA further complicate the situation for teams seeking to balance competitive play in European competitions.

As the situation develops, Palace’s future in European football hangs in the balance, with implications not only for the team but for the very nature of club ownership across the continent.