CAS has rejected Crystal Palace’s appeal against their demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League over multi-club ownership rules. The ruling leaves Nottingham Forest as the beneficiaries, promoted to the Europa League, while Palace must enter the Conference League in the playoff round later this month. They will face the loser of the Europa League tie between Fredrikstad and FC Midtjylland.
Palace had argued on three fronts: that the CFCB decision was unfair, that Forest should be elevated to the Europa League, and that Lyon should not be allowed to participate. All three strands were dismissed by the CAS panel.
The decision hinges on the MCO rule, which bars decisive influence by a single party over more than one club in the same competition. Palace had argued that John Textor, through Eagle Football Holdings Limited, did not exercise control at Palace, but the CAS panel found that Textor held a controlling interest in Lyon and a 43.9% stake in Palace and served on the boards of both clubs with decisive influence at the time UEFA assessed the case.
The CAS statement stressed that the panel did not find Palace treated unfairly in comparison with Nottingham Forest or Lyon and that UEFA regulations are clear and non-flexible on the assessment date. The ruling reiterates that the critical date for determining compliance is March 1, not later dates.
As context, Palace qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup, while Lyon’s Europa League place was gained through Paris Saint-Germain’s Coupe de France win. The ruling also notes that this summer marks the first time clubs have been removed from European competition under the stricter MCO enforcement, which applies to clubs found to breach rules on the March 1 deadline rather than the June deadline used in prior seasons.
Beyond Palace, other MCO-related changes affected clubs earlier in the year. Drogheda United were removed from the Conference League due to an ownership conflict with Silkeborg IF, and Győri ETO were replaced in the Conference League with FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda after an ownership issue. Drogheda and Silkeborg had appealed to CAS but were unsuccessful. The CAS decisions cite similar grounds to Palace’s case, including the March 1 deadline and claims of unequal treatment.
Palace’s chairman Steve Parish reacted after the Community Shield win by suggesting the club would explore alternative steps if the ruling did not go their way, signaling possible further action if options exist.
What this means for Palace going forward is a shift from European competition at this stage to a playoff path in the Conference League, with a clear emphasis on aligning ownership structures with UEFA’s stricter MCO framework. For supporters, the immediate focus will be the Conference League playoff and monitoring how the club adjusts to compliance requirements in the long term, while Forest prepare for their Europa League campaign.
Summary for fans and readers: CAS upheld UEFA’s interpretation of the MCO rules, denying Palace relief and relegating them to the Conference League playoff, with Forest taking the Europa League spot. The ruling underscores the tightening of ownership rules and the importance of compliant cross-ownership arrangements for clubs competing in Europe. A positive takeaway is the ongoing clarity these decisions bring to European competition governance, even as clubs adjust to the new enforcement environment.