Official: UEFA excludes Crystal Palace from the League of Europe, leads to Conference League

Crystal Palace has been expelled from the League of Europe and moved to Conference League after U. The EFA has concluded that FA Cup winners have violated its rules on multi-klub ownership.

This decision was expected, especially after Lyon's appeal victory, which avoided landing in Ligue 2 and thus took the right to participate in the European competition. By U's rules EFAs, clubs with the same owner cannot participate in the same race if an individual or property group has decisive influence over more than one club.

John Textor, Crystal Palace's biggest shareholder, is also Lyon's owner. A deadline until March 1st was set to resolve this issue of divided ownership, but was not respected. Although Textor has recently agreed to sell shares to American billionaire Woody Johnson, the deal has not been finalised and considered delayed by U. EFA.

This decision is a blow to Palace, which would participate for the first time in a major European competition. The club is expected to appeal the verdict to the Arbitrazhi Court for Sport (CAS). Meanwhile, there is the possibility that Nottingham Forest will be transferred from the League of Conference to the League of Europe to replace Palace, reports Express, broadcast Periscope.

In the official statement, UEFA said the Cluj Financial Control Commission had concluded that multi-kloub ownership criteria had been violated and decided to:

“rejects Crystal Palace admission at UEFA Europe League 2025-26 and accept the club at UEFA Conference League 2025-26. ”

Lyon earned the right to the League of Europe by ranking sixth in League 1, and in advance he agreed with U. The EFA would be excluded from European races if it landed in the second division. Their top position in the championship was given priority in the European League.

Textor resigned this month from leading positions in Lyon, including from the board. Michele Kang, who owns the women's OL Lyonnais team and several other clubs like London City Lionseses, was appointed president and head of the French club.

The four co-owners of the Palace Textor, Steve Parish, Josh Harris and David Blitzer attended a meeting at U headquarters. EFA in Nyon, arguing that Textor had no decisive influence on Crystal Palace. But UEFA disobeyed and refused even Textor and Blitzer's attempt to place shares in a blind trust -- a method that has previously allowed some clubs to compete together in European competitions. In this case, the deadline was passed. /Periscope/