Crystal Palace Plans CAS Appeal After Europa League Demotion

Crystal Palace has been excluded from the 2025/2026 Europa League by UEFA due to a breach of multi-club ownership rules, as American co-owner John Textor holds stakes in both Palace and Lyon, who both qualified for the competition. UEFA's Club Financial Control Body ruled only one club per owner could participate, with Lyon securing the Europa League spot based on their higher league position, while Palace was demoted to the Conference League. Palace disputes the decision, asserting they are not part of a multi-club operation and that Textor has no decisive influence at the club. The club is pursuing legal action by appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and hopes the appeal process will be expedited, potentially delaying the official confirmation of Nottingham Forest's participation in the Europa League. The situation is seen by Palace chairman Steve Parish as a significant injustice and a bad day for football, particularly after Palace's FA Cup victory granted them the Europa League qualification. Textor is also working to sell his stake in Palace to Woody Johnson, but the sale was not completed before UEFA's March 1 deadline, which remains a central point in the dispute.