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Crystal Palace have officially taken their fight to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following UEFA’s controversial decision to relegate the club from next season’s Europa League to the third-tier Europa Conference League. The dispute centres on a breach of UEFA's multi-club ownership rules due to American businessman John Textor’s involvement with both Palace and French club Lyon.
UEFA regulations prohibit two clubs under shared ownership from competing in the same European competition, and a deadline of March 1 was set for resolving any such conflicts. Although Textor later sold his 43% stake in Palace to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and stepped down from his role at Lyon, these actions came too late to meet the deadline.
Lyon, who secured sixth place in Ligue 1, were initially relegated due to financial issues, briefly paving the way for Palace’s Europa League inclusion after their FA Cup triumph. However, Lyon’s successful appeal against that relegation has seen them reinstated in Ligue 1, and with it, back in the Europa League. That triggered UEFA’s ruling that Palace be bumped down a competition, with Nottingham Forest potentially taking their place after finishing seventh in the Premier League.
Despite UEFA invoking Regulation 4.10, which allows for replacement by the next-best-placed club in the domestic league, Crystal Palace are pushing back hard. CAS has confirmed that a final decision will be delivered by August 11, just days after the draw for the Conference League play-off round and ahead of the Europa League’s group stage kickoff in late September.
The Eagles, in their CAS appeal, have called for the annulment of UEFA’s decision, arguing that Textor did not have decisive influence over operations at Selhurst Park. Palace have also taken the rare step of naming Lyon and Nottingham Forest as parties in the legal challenge.
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has spoken out passionately, describing the situation as "one of the greatest injustices" in European football.
“Obviously we’re devastated. We’re devastated for, most importantly, the supporters. I think the supporters of all clubs should be devastated for us because this is the dream. You win a cup, actually win something for the first time in your history. Somebody said to me it's like winning the lottery, going to the counter and you don't get the prize,”
Parish told Sky Sports News.
Support from Palace fans has been equally forceful. Protesters have staged demonstrations both at home and abroad. A vocal contingent from the Holmesdale Fanatics supporter group travelled to UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where they hand-delivered a letter to president Aleksander Ceferin and presented a suitcase filled with fake cash, a symbolic gesture accusing UEFA of prioritising profit over fairness.
“We travelled to Switzerland to represent all Palace supporters in this fight against a morally unjust decision from Uefa and to demonstrate the public mood demands this ruling is overturned and justice is served,” fan group member Mick Grafton told The Independent.
After their protest in Nyon, the group continued to Lausanne to make their presence known at CAS headquarters, again calling for Palace’s reinstatement into the Europa League.
With protests mounting, legal proceedings in motion, and the new season fast approaching, the spotlight now turns to CAS, whose ruling will decide whether Crystal Palace remain in Europe’s third-tier competition, or are restored to the place they believe they rightfully earned.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram / @cpfc
