Crystal Palace have been removed from next season’s UEFA Europa League after falling foul of European football’s strict multi-club ownership rules.
UEFA made the announcement this week, replacing Palace with Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League.
Palace had qualified for the Europa League after a surprise FA Cup win, but their spot has now been withdrawn because of their ties to Eagle Football Holdings — the same group that owns a majority stake in French club Lyon.
According to UEFA rules, two clubs owned or controlled by the same group are not allowed to play in the same European competition.
Although Palace argued that their American investor, John Textor, does not have direct control over the club, UEFA disagreed. They said both clubs fall under the same ownership structure and upheld the rule.
As a result, Lyon, who finished sixth in Ligue 1 and also qualified for the Europa League, will keep their place, while Palace drop to the UEFA Conference League.
This comes after UEFA gave all clubs until March 1, 2025, to resolve any conflicts related to ownership. Palace failed to meet the deadline.
The drama doesn’t end there. Earlier this week, Lyon won a separate legal case to avoid relegation due to financial issues. If they had been relegated, Palace might have kept their Europa League place. But with Lyon staying in Ligue 1, they also remain in Europe — leaving Palace as the casualty.
Now, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest will represent England in the 2025/26 Europa League, while Crystal Palace will compete in the less prestigious Conference League.
UEFA has confirmed that Palace can appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
