Crystal Palace submit appeal after Europa League demotion as Eagles told when to expect verdict

The Eagles clinched a place in the Europa League for 2025-26 after winning the FA Cup but were subsequently demoted to the Europa Conference League for breaching UEFA's multi-club ownership rules. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has now confirmed an appeal has been submitted by Palace against UEFA, Nottingham Forest and Lyon and announced a verdict will be reached on or before August 11.

The statement from the CAS reveals that Palace have requested an annulment of the decision by UEFA and requested readmission to the tournament at the expense of either Lyon or Nottingham Forest. The Eagles have previously argued that American businessman John Textor, who owned a stake in the club and is also the majority owner of Lyon, did not have a decisive interest in the Premier League side.

Crystal Palace Steven Parish chairman has told The Rest Is Football Podcast: "We are still fighting. There's an appeal process, so we go to Cas, and we're very hopeful. We think we've got great legal arguments. We don't think this is the right decision by any means. We know, unequivocally, that John [Textor] didn't have decisive influence over the club. We know we proved that beyond all reasonable doubt because it's a fact."

Crystal Palace fans have already protested the decision and will eagerly await the verdict. In the meantime, the FA Cup winners will be in pre-season action before their verdict is known. The Eagles take on Crawley Town and Augsburg in friendlies and then face Liverpool in the Community Shield at Wembley on August 10.