July 22, (THEWILL) — Crystal Palace have formally appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), following UEFA’s decision to relegate them from the Europa League to the Conference League over multi-club ownership violations. The governing body determined that American businessman John Textor, who controls Eagle Football Group and holds significant stakes in both Palace and Lyon, breached regulations prohibiting decisive influence over multiple clubs in European competitions. UEFA’s ruling came after Palace failed to provide adequate proof of ownership restructuring by the March 1st deadline, despite the club’s insistence that Textor never exercised decisive control at Selhurst Park.
The demotion has created a domino effect across European football, with Lyon retaining their Europa League place, whilst Nottingham Forest stand to benefit from Palace’s misfortune. Palace chairman, Steve Parish, maintains the club demonstrated “beyond all reasonable doubt” that Textor lacked decisive influence, describing UEFA’s rejection as factually incorrect. The appeal centres on UEFA’s interpretation of ownership structures, with Palace arguing their arrangements never granted Textor the control that would trigger multi-club ownership restrictions under current regulations.
Forest’s inclusion highlights apparent inconsistencies in UEFA’s enforcement approach, as their owner Evangelos Marinakis satisfied requirements last year by placing his interests in a blind trust. Palace attempted similar restructuring measures, but UEFA deemed these insufficient despite Textor’s subsequent agreement to sell his stake to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. The timing of this sale, however, fell short of UEFA’s March deadline, leaving Palace’s European status in limbo ahead of the new season.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport must deliver its verdict by August 11, well before the Europa League group stage commences on September 24. Should Palace’s appeal fail, Forest will likely claim the Europa League berth that comes with finishing seventh in the English Premier League table. The case has broader implications for European football’s ownership landscape, potentially affecting how UEFA applies multi-club rules to other prominent ownership groups across the continent.
This legal challenge arrives at a crucial time for UEFA’s governance credibility, with several high-profile ownership groups operating multiple clubs across European leagues. The outcome could establish important precedents for future multi-club ownership cases, particularly as investment groups increasingly view football clubs as portfolio assets.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
