Crystal Palace have taken their fight against relegation to the Conference League to sport's highest tribunal, lodging an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport this afternoon.
The south London club's submission targets three parties: UEFA, which imposed the sanction, French outfit Lyon, and fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest.
The Eagles face punishment for allegedly violating regulations on multi-club ownership, with American investor John Textor holding interests in both Palace and Lyon.
The clubs' simultaneous qualification for the Europa League triggered the conflict, resulting in Palace's relegation to Europe's third-tier competition despite their FA Cup triumph last season.
PA/Getty | Crystal Palace were booted out of the Europa League with a decision postponed
UEFA's regulations prohibit entities from controlling multiple clubs competing in the same European tournament beyond specified influence thresholds.
The governing body had established 1 March 2025 as the cut-off date for demonstrating compliance through ownership restructuring - a requirement Palace failed to meet.
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Palace maintained that Textor lacks any meaningful control over their operations, but UEFA rejected this argument.
The situation became critical when Lyon secured reinstatement to France's top division following their relegation over financial troubles, thereby claiming their Europa League spot and creating the ownership conflict that led to Palace's demotion last Friday.
Palace chairman Steve Parish has launched a scathing attack on the ruling, describing the club's removal from the Europa League as "one of the greatest injustices" in European football's history.
The Palace chief expressed hope that UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin might personally intervene to reverse the decision and reinstate the Eagles to their rightful place in the competition.
Parish confirmed the club would mount a challenge against UEFA's verdict, which came after the south London side secured Europa League qualification through their FA Cup victory last season.
His comments, made shortly after the initial ruling, underscore the depth of frustration at Selhurst Park over the governance dispute.
Palace have demanded the complete reversal of UEFA's financial control body's verdict and restoration to the Europa League, proposing either Forest or Lyon should forfeit their place.
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Getty | Crystal Palace qualified for the Europa League after winning the FA Cup but were demoted to the Europa Conference League
The tribunal must deliver its verdict by 11 August, well before the Europa League group phase commences on 24 September.
Should Palace's challenge fail, Nottingham Forest stand to inherit the Europa League berth as reward for their seventh-place Premier League finish last term.
The Midlands club would effectively benefit from Palace's punishment, upgrading from Conference League qualification to the more prestigious second-tier European competition.
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