Crystal Palace will compete in the UEFA Conference League this season after [losing their appeal](https://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/CAS_Media_Release_11604_decision.pdf) against demotion from the Europa League.
Palace took their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after UEFA had demoted them from the Europa League to the Conference League due to not following rules regarding multi-club ownership.
After winning the FA Cup last season Palace secured a Europa League spot, the first time they have qualified for the competition, but [due to breaking laws regarding multi-club ownership they were demoted](https://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/news/crystal-palace-moved-from-europa-league-to-conference-league) to the Conference League.
What has happened?
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Palace appealed UEFA’s decision to CAS but after the hearing in Switzerland, UEFA’s decision stands. Neither UEFA or Crystal Palace have made a comment following the publishing of the decision.
This whole matter hinged on a UEFA deadline of March 1, 2025 for any club to show UEFA that they had restructured multi-club ownership.
Palace, who were co-owned by American John Textor who also owns Lyon who had also qualified for the Europa League for this season, missed that deadline of March 1. Textor has since sold his shares in Crystal Palace in late July to fellow American Woody Johnson.
It is expected that Nottingham Forest will now take Crystal Palace’s place in the Europa League for the upcoming season.
CAS statement on Crystal Palace
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“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed an appeal by Crystal Palace FC (CPFC) against UEFA, Nottingham Forest FC and Olympique Lyonnais (OL) concerning a decision by UEFA to remove CPFC from the UEFA Europa League 2025/2026 due to a breach of UEFA multi club ownership regulations.
“As a result, CPFC will be admitted to compete in the UEFA Conference League 2025/2026. The appeal sought to annul the decision by the UEFA Club Financial Control Body on July 11 2025 which found CPFC and OL non-compliant with multi club ownership regulations.
“Alongside the annulment of the decision, CPFC requested readmission to the UEFA Europa League with Nottingham Forest or OL’s admission rejected.
“After considering the evidence, the Panel found that John Textor, founder of Eagle Football Holdings, had shares in CPFC and OL and was a Board member with decisive influence over both clubs at the time of UEFA’s assessment date.
“The Panel also dismissed the argument by CPFC that they received unfair treatment in comparison to Nottingham Forest and OL. The Panel considered that the UEFA Regulations are clear and do not provide flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date, as CPFC claimed.
“This was an expedited procedure, with an operative decision rendered two and a half weeks after the appeal, filed on July 21 2025. Unless Parties request confidentiality, a full Award (with grounds) will be made available on the CAS website in due course.”