GENEVA (AP) — Crystal Palace’s participation in the Europa League next season is still uncertain after UEFA on Monday delayed a ruling on the FA Cup winner’s ownership links to French club Lyon through American businessman John Textor.
Both clubs qualified for the Europa League on merit — the first time Palace has earned a spot in a European competition — but appear to have broken UEFA rules on multi-club ownership. UEFA has the power to remove teams that have the same owners or investors with decision-making influence.
Textor owns Lyon and held a 43% stake in Palace, which he has agreed to sell to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. However, he appeared to have limited authority on decisions at the London club.
A complex case for UEFA could be settled in Palace’s favor if Lyon’s forced relegation from Ligue 1 due its persistent financial turmoil is confirmed.
Lyon, which placed sixth in the league this season, is set to have its appeal in that case heard within the next week.
UEFA said Lyon previously “agreed on an exclusion from the 2025-26 UEFA club competitions should the French authority (DNCG) confirm the club’s relegation to Ligue 2.”
Palace has never played in a European competition in the 70 years of UEFA organizing them but won the FA Cup final against Manchester City in May to earn direct entry into the Europa League.
In a multi-club ownership case in the third-tier Conference League, UEFA removed FC DAC 1904 of Slovakia and let Gyor of Hungary enter the competition.
Both clubs were owned at a UEFA-set deadline by Oszkár Világi, a Hungarian businessman allied to the country’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
UEFA followed a precedent set this month when it excluded Irish cup winner Drogheda from the next Conference League, allowing its sibling club Silkeborg of Denmark to take the entry. Both are owned by an investment group from the United States. That UEFA ruling was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The eventual ruling in the Lyon-Palace case could be challenged at CAS, including by other clubs affected by the decision such as Nottingham Forest. It placed seventh in the Premier League and is set to enter the Conference League.
The UEFA panel also is set to make decisions this week on cases of clubs which failed to comply fully with monitoring rules formerly known as “Financial Fair Play.” Those are expected to include Barcelona and Chelsea.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press
