UEFA has announced that Crystal Palace will not participate in the 2025/26 Europa League, despite their historic FA Cup victory, due to violations of multi-club ownership rules.
Instead, the Eagles have been relegated to the UEFA Conference League, a decision that has sparked frustration among fans and club officials.
The ruling, reported by Sky Sports, stems from co-owner John Textor’s stakes in both Crystal Palace and French club Lyon, which also qualified for the Europa League.
This development, under UEFA’s strict regulations, prioritises Lyon due to their higher league finish, leaving Palace to compete in Europe’s third-tier competition.
Crystal Palace earned their Europa League spot by defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final, marking their first major trophy and European qualification in club history.
However, UEFA’s rules prohibit individuals from having significant control over multiple clubs in the same competition.
Textor, whose Eagle Football Holdings owns a 43% stake in Palace and a majority in Lyon, failed to meet the March 1 deadline to place shares in a blind trust, a solution used by clubs like Manchester United and Nice last season.
Lyon’s successful appeal against Ligue 2 relegation on July 9, 2025, further complicated Palace’s case, as their sixth-place Ligue 1 finish trumped Palace’s 12th-place Premier League standing.
The decision has significant implications. Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League, will take Palace’s Europa League spot, while Brighton, eighth-placed, may enter the Conference League.
Palace’s potential demotion to the Conference League, where co-owner David Blitzer’s club Brøndby also competes, adds further complexity due to additional ownership conflicts.
Fans expressed dismay, posting, “We all want Palace in Europe, get a grip UEFA!” The club is reportedly considering an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing that Textor’s influence at Palace is minimal, with chairman Steve Parish primarily running operations.
The ruling disrupts Palace’s pre-season planning, impacting player recruitment and sponsorship deals, as the Europa League’s €565 million prize pool dwarfs the Conference League’s €285 million.
