Crystal Palace demoted to UEFA Conference League

Crystal Palace have been demoted to the Conference League for the 2025/26 season, with Nottingham Forest replacing them in the Europa League.

Following an investigation, the Eagles have been punished for allegedly breaching UEFA's multi-club ownership rules, with John Textor's stakes in Ligue 1 side Lyon proving problematic.

The outcome comes as a huge blow to a side who are looking forward to their first ever European campaign, following their maiden FA Cup triumph back in May.

As a result of UEFA's decision to demote Crystal Palace, the Eagles will now play in the Conference League for the 2025/26 season.

While the third-tier competition does offer more chance of going all the way and lifting a European trophy, the monetary gain will be significantly less for Crystal Palace, and may now negatively impact their summer transfer window.

The Premier League side will be England's sole representative in the competition, and will now look to repeat West Ham's success of 2023 by lifting their first piece of European silverware.

After appealing the decision, Palace's fate was officially finalised on August 11, and while it isn't the outcome they were hoping for, it did allow them to now focus on their opening league game, where they earned a point at Stamford Bridge.

The biggest beneficiaries of Crystal Palace's demotion will be Nottingham Forest, who now look forward to the prospect of competing in the 2025/26 Europa League.

Forest will join Aston Villa as the Premier League sides within the competition, and will feel it's the least they deserve after such a strong season that saw them just drop away at the death - although, they may not have wanted to qualify like this.

Last season's Premier League surprise package now replaces one of this season's potential dark horses, with Forest gearing up for their first European campaign since the 1995/96 UEFA Cup run which saw them reach the quarter-finals.

The drama comes between two sides who could well be direct rivals in the league this season, with both Palace and Forest hoping for a top-half finish.

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