𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

A closed-door hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has been confirmed for August 8, as Crystal Palace challenges UEFA’s decision to demote them from the Europa League. The London club, who qualified by winning the FA Cup, were relegated to the third-tier Conference League by UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body due to multi-club ownership rules.

The dispute centres on the Eagle Football Group, whose chairman John Textor holds a controlling stake in Palace and was a majority owner of Olympique Lyonnais. Textor has since resigned from Lyon’s board, with Michele Kang appointed chairwoman. Lyon, despite the shared ownership, will play in the Europa League, having finished sixth in Ligue 1 – a higher league position than Palace’s FA Cup qualification.

Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League, will replace Palace in the Europa League if their appeal fails. While the hearing is on August 8, a ruling is not expected until August 11.

Earlier in July, Crystal Palace supporters took their grievances directly to UEFA’s headquarters in Switzerland, protesting the club’s controversial demotion to the Conference League.

The club failed to meet a crucial 1 March deadline to demonstrate that John Textor, exerted no control or influence over more than one club participating in the same competition.

After hundreds of supporters made their feelings clear in an initial protest outside Selhurst Park, The Independent understands that members of Palace ultras Holmesdale Fanatics – who organised the first march – today travelled to Uefa’s HQ in Nyon, Switzerland to combat the perceived injustice head-on.

“We travelled to Switzerland to represent all Palace supporters in this fight against a morally unjust decision from Uefa and to demonstrate the public mood demands this ruling is overturned and justice is served,” Holmesdale Fanatics member Mick Grafton told The Independent.