Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace will no doubt have taken a keen interest in the news Drogheda United have lost their appeal against their expulsion from the UEFA Conference League.
The League of Ireland side qualified for the 2025/26 tournament by winning last season’s FAI Cup. But they were expelled from the European competition for being in breach of multi-club ownership rules and have now lost their appeal against the decision.
Palace are waiting to find out if they are also deemed to have fallen foul of those regulations. UEFA’s verdict on the Eagles will have consequences for Forest, who could be bumped up from the Conference League to the Europa League if their rivals are booted out.
Drogheda are owned by Trivela Group, which also has a majority interest in Danish qualifiers Silkeborg. The club took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld the original decision on Monday.
Drogheda said in a statement: “It is with great heartbreak and disbelief that we inform you we have lost our appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. We strongly disagree with this decision, and had hoped and believed that the principles of fairness and common sense would prevail.
“After months of engagement, constructive dialogue, countless hours of legal preparation, and multiple proposals based on frameworks that have been accepted in the past, we have come up short. Despite genuine and vocal support across the football world, the ruling did not fall in our favour. We are heartbroken by the outcome.”
The statement added: “We disagree with this decision. We believe it is unjust. Rules should protect opportunity, not prevent it. Especially for community-driven clubs like ours who fight every day to punch above their weight. Nevertheless, we accept responsibility. And we’re sorry.
“We will push for reform so that no other community club finds itself in this position again. All parties can do better. And we will do our part to make sure we all do.”
Forest qualified for the Conference League courtesy of their seventh-placed finish in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Palace’s FA Cup triumph earned them a spot in the Europa League.
John Textor, whose Eagle Football Group owns 43 percent of Palace, is also the owner of French side Lyon. The French outfit qualified for the Europe League by finishing sixth in Ligue 1. No individual is permitted to have a significant say in the running of two clubs competing in the same UEFA competition.
Palace are reportedly confident no rules have been breached. They recently held a meeting with UEFA officials and are now awaiting a decision.
Last week, it was claimed Textor had received an offer to sell his stake in Palace. The Guardian have since reported the American businessman has listed holding company Eagle Football for an initial public offering in the US. Palace are said to have taken encouragement from the fact UEFA have sought clarification on elements of their submissions as they seek to retain their European spot.
In the meantime, Forest are understood to have written to UEFA asking for clarity after expressing concerns over Palace’s Europa League spot. At one stage last season, it looked as though the Reds and fellow Evangelos Marinakis-owned side Olympiacos might both qualify for the Champions League. To avoid potentially being in the situation Palace are in, Marinakis placed his Forest shares in a blind trust so as not to fall foul of the regulations.
What do you make of Palace's situation? Click HERE to have your say