Nottingham Forest are set to play in the UEFA Europa League next season, not because of their Premier League finish alone, but due to Crystal Palace’s unexpected exclusion by UEFA over a multi-club ownership rule breach.
Palace’s Europa League Dream Cut Short
Crystal Palace had earned a Europa League spot through their strong FA Cup run. However, UEFA has disqualified the South London club due to a breach of its multi-club ownership regulations. The problem stems from the involvement of American businessman John Textor, who until recently owned significant stakes in both Crystal Palace (43%) and Olympique Lyon (77%).
According to UEFA rules, two clubs controlled by the same ownership group cannot compete in the same European competition. While Textor did move to sell his Palace shares to comply with the rule, the transaction was not finalized before UEFA’s critical March 1 deadline. Because Lyon finished higher in Ligue 1 than Palace did in the Premier League, UEFA gave Lyon the priority place in the Europa League.
Forest Step In
This opened the door for Nottingham Forest, who finished 7th in the Premier League. Forest had earlier written to UEFA requesting clarity on the situation and whether Palace’s Europa League qualification breached the rules. UEFA’s investigation confirmed the conflict and ruled Palace ineligible.
As a result, Forest, who were initially not in a European qualifying position, have now been elevated into the Europa League—a huge boost for the club and its supporters.
Conference League for Palace
Though they’ve been removed from the Europa League, Crystal Palace won’t be left out of Europe entirely. UEFA has confirmed they will instead participate in the UEFA Europa Conference League, assuming they meet all final compliance checks.
What This Means
This development marks a rare application of UEFA’s ownership rules and sends a strong message to football investors involved in multi-club networks. For Forest, it’s a surprise opportunity to return to European football, and for Palace, a bitter setback after a hard-earned qualification.
