UEFA has banned DAC Dunajska Streda from the Conference League for violating the multi-club ownership rule. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, will have to wait and see.
FC DAC Dunajska Streda was still in the draw for the first qualifying rounds of the Conference League at the end of July, when it was scheduled to face the winner of the match between FC Urartu Erewan (Armenia) and Njoman Hrodna (Belarus). But that will not happen now.
As UEFA announced on Monday, Dunajska Streda has been excluded from the upcoming Conference League season. The club, which finished fourth in the Slovakian league last season and then qualified for the Conference League in the domestic play-offs, has violated the European governing body’s multi-club ownership rules.
Dunajska Streda will not be allowed to start, Györi ETO will
Dunajska Streda, which failed in the second qualifying round last year, is owned by Slovakian businessman Oszkar Vilagi, as is Hungarian first division club Györi ETO FC, which also qualified for the Conference League. According to UEFA rules, for reasons of sporting integrity, two or more clubs controlled by the same entity are not allowed to compete in the same competition.
The club that finished lower in its domestic league will be the loser. If this is not clear – Dunajska Streda and Györi ETO both finished fourth – the decision will be made based on the respective association’s position in the UEFA ranking, where Hungary is ahead of Slovakia.
Last year, Manchester City and FC Girona were granted permission to start in the Champions League with the help of a blind trust arrangement, but since this year, the clubs must have been unlinked by March 1. This had already proved fatal for Irish cup winners Drogheda United, who lost their place in the Conference League. They are owned by the Trivela Group, as are Danish Conference League participants Silkeborg IF.
Lyon/Palace decision postponed, but time is running out
It remains unclear whether FA Cup winner Crystal Palace will be allowed to participate in the Europa League in 2025/26. The club, coached by Oliver Glasner, initially faced exclusion because co-owner John Textor has a majority stake in Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyon, which qualified for the Europa League (at least until this Monday). However, Lyon’s forced relegation has opened a new door for Palace, whose shareholders Textor is trying to buy out at the same time.
A ruling in the Lyon/Palace case will be postponed for the time being, UEFA announced, but emphasized that Lyon had already agreed to be excluded from European competition should the French authorities confirm the forced relegation. Time is pressing, as the places of the excluded teams must be reallocated in good time. If Palace were to miss out on European competition, Nottingham Forest would move up, with Lyon’s place going to Racing Strasbourg.
