Crystal Palace have launched a scathing attack on UEFA after being banned from the Europa League due to multi-club ownership rules.
UEFA confirmed that Palace will be excluded from the Europa League and demoted to the UEFA Europa Conference League because of shared ownership links with French side Olympique Lyon.
In an official club statement, Palace expressed frustration, saying:
“When we won the FA Cup against Manchester City in that historic May final, our manager and players had earned the right to compete in the Europa League. We have been denied that opportunity.
Some clubs, organizations, and individuals clearly enjoy greater influence and power. This growing, unhealthy dominance has shattered the dreams of our supporters and sends a worrying message to ambitious clubs across Europe. The laws and sanctions are being applied inconsistently and unfairly.
Multi-club structures hide behind the so-called ‘blind trust,’ while clubs like ours, with no ties to other teams, are prevented from playing in the same competition. Adding to the injustice, other clubs with huge unofficial arrangements between them are allowed to participate – and may even face each other in the tournament.”
Palace stressed that UEFA’s decision raises wider concerns about football governance in Europe, pointing to poorly designed regulations and unequal enforcement.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) later rejected Palace’s appeal, confirming UEFA’s ruling. As a result, Nottingham Forest will take Palace’s place in the 2024/25 Europa League, while Palace will play in the Europa Conference League.
This comes after a historic run for Crystal Palace, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield within three months, defeating Manchester City and Liverpool respectively.
Palace concluded their statement by calling this a “turning point” for European football, urging for a fairer and more transparent application of the rules.