11th June 2025
June 11 – The gloves are off at the City Ground. Nottingham Forest have challenged Crystal Palace’s Europa League qualification, asking UEFA clarify whether the Eagles should even be allowed to fly in European competition next season.
Palace’s historic FA Cup triumph – that stunning 1-0 victory over Manchester City – earned them their first-ever European qualification. But there’s a problem brewing in the boardroom that could ground their continental ambitions before they’ve even taken off.
Enter John Textor, the American businessman whose Eagle Football empire holds a 43% stake in Palace. Here’s where it gets messy: Eagle Football also controls 77% of French side Lyon. Both clubs have qualified for the Europa League. Both clubs would be competing in the same tournament.
UEFA’s rules couldn’t be clearer: “No individual or legal entity” can hold majority voting rights at two clubs in the same European competition. It’s designed to prevent the kind of behind-the-scenes collusion that could compromise the integrity of continental football.
Forest, finished seventh in the Premier League, just missing by four points a place in the Champions League, however they did qualify for the Europa Conference League. Sources confirm they’ve fired their concerns directly to UEFA’s headquarters. If Palace get knocked out of Europe, Forest could be bumped up to the Europa League proper.
Palace are fighting back hard. Their argument? That FA Cup miracle was achieved entirely on merit – no strings attached, no Lyon influence, no multi-club shenanigans. They insist they operate as a completely independent entity, not some puppet in Textor’s broader football portfolio.
Forest know this game well though. Owner Evangelos Marinakis faced identical scrutiny when his Nottingham and Olympiakos sides were both in contention for Champions League place (Olympiakos qualified). The Greek businessman solved it by diluting his Forest control, ensuring compliance with UEFA’s ownership thresholds.
The clock is ticking. First and second qualifying rounds kick off in July. By then, UEFA will have decided whether Palace’s European dream dies in a Swiss boardroom or lives on the pitches of the continent.
The Eagles soared to FA Cup glory. Now they’re fighting to avoid a regulatory crash landing.
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