Crystal Palace dropped to the Conference League by UEFA.
UEFA has demoted FA Cup winners Crystal Palace to the UEFA Conference League, citing a violation of its multi-club ownership rules. Consequently, Nottingham Forest are now expected to take Palace's place in the UEFA Europa League, pending a final ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The decision follows an investigation by UEFA, which found that Crystal Palace breached regulations prohibiting clubs under shared ownership or significant influence from competing in the same European tournament. John Textor, Palace’s principal shareholder, also controls French side Olympique Lyonnais, creating a conflict under the governing body’s rules.
Textor was given a deadline of March 1 to resolve the issue. Although he recently agreed to sell his Palace shares to American billionaire Woody Johnson, UEFA ruled that the move came too late to satisfy compliance requirements.
Lyon, facing a similar investigation, escaped sanctions after successfully appealing their relegation from Ligue 1—clearing them to participate in UEFA competitions this season.
Despite the ruling, Crystal Palace officials have announced their intention to appeal the decision at CAS, aiming to overturn the demotion and retain their spot in the Europa League.
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