UEFA Drops Crystal Palace from Europa League Over Ownership Conflict — Nottingham Forest Replaces, Palace Heads to CAS

In a dramatic shake-up to the European football landscape, UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) has officially removed Crystal Palace from the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League, citing a breach of multi-club ownership rules.

The move sees Nottingham Forest promoted to the Europa League playoff round, while Crystal Palace have been demoted to the UEFA Conference League, pending an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

🔍 Why Was Crystal Palace Penalized?

The heart of the issue lies in UEFA’s strict regulations on shared ownership. According to the governing body, no two clubs with significant shared ownership (over 30%) can compete in the same European competition.

Palace’s majority shareholder, John Textor, owns 43.9% of Crystal Palace and 77% of Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon) — the French club that also qualified for the Europa League following PSG’s Coupe de France win.

That overlap triggered UEFA’s red flag.

🦅 Palace Fight Back — Appeal Underway

Palace, who had earned their Europa League spot by stunning Manchester City in the FA Cup final, are furious with the ruling and have officially taken their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Head coach Oliver Glasner, hailed for the club’s recent success, now faces uncertainty over the level of competition his team will play in next season.

🌳 Forest’s Unexpected Leap

In the meantime, it’s Nottingham Forest who benefit from the reshuffle. Initially set to play in the Conference League playoff round, Forest now move up to take Palace’s place in the Europa League, giving the East Midlands club a huge boost in visibility, finances, and prestige.

💬 Our Take: UEFA’s Stance Is Clear — But the Fallout Is Just Beginning

This decision sends a strong warning to the growing wave of multi-club owners: success in one team could derail another. Textor’s ambitious portfolio may have backfired here — and Palace, through no fault of their players or coach, are the ones paying the price.

While some fans argue UEFA is being too harsh, others see it as a necessary safeguard for the integrity of European competition.

Now, all eyes turn to CAS, and whether the appeal can reverse this seismic decision.

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