BREAKING NEWS: Nottingham Forest Demoted from Europa League Amid Ownership Controversy — Crystal Palace Reinstated

BREAKING NEWS: Nottingham Forest Demoted from Europa League Amid Ownership Controversy — Crystal Palace Reinstated

In a dramatic reversal, UEFA has officially demoted Nottingham Forest from the 2025/26 Europa League due to a breach of its multi-club ownership rules. Crystal Palace — initially removed over similar concerns — have now been reinstated and will compete in Europe next season after what many are calling one of UEFA’s most contentious decisions in recent memory.

The controversy revolves around Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, a Greek shipping magnate who also owns Olympiacos FC and has held interests in several football entities across Europe. In early 2025, in an effort to comply with UEFA’s strict multi-club ownership regulations, Marinakis transferred his shares in Nottingham Forest into a so-called “blind trust” — a legal mechanism intended to remove him from day-to-day operations and shield the club from ownership conflicts.

However, new evidence surfaced that cast serious doubt on the legitimacy of this arrangement. In particular, an incident in May 2025 where Marinakis was photographed and filmed remonstrating with Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo on the pitch after a Premier League match raised alarm bells. The heated exchange, caught on camera, directly contradicted the principle that Marinakis had relinquished control or influence over the club.

UEFA launched a review of the blind trust arrangement following growing pressure and public scrutiny. According to sources close to the investigation, UEFA determined that the trust did not sufficiently separate Marinakis from club operations and that he retained significant informal influence over key decisions.

As a result, UEFA ruled that Nottingham Forest violated Article 5 of its competition regulations, which bars two clubs under common control or influence from competing in the same UEFA competition. Since Olympiacos had already qualified for the UEFA Conference League, Forest’s participation in the Europa League was deemed ineligible.

Crystal Palace, who had previously been demoted due to concerns about former minority shareholder John Textor’s stake in multiple clubs, have now been reinstated. Textor has since divested from the entities causing the conflict, and UEFA confirmed that Palace are now in full compliance with its ownership rules.

The news has ignited fierce reactions on both sides. Nottingham Forest supporters have expressed shock and frustration at the decision, accusing UEFA of bending rules in Palace’s favor. Meanwhile, Palace fans feel vindicated, believing justice has finally been served after what they saw as an unfair removal from the competition just weeks earlier.

“This is about fairness and the integrity of European football,” said a UEFA spokesperson. “Once it became clear that Nottingham Forest’s ownership structure was not in line with our rules, we had no choice but to act.”

Crystal Palace will now rejoin the Europa League group stage draw, marking a significant achievement for the club after a decade-long absence from European competition.

The ruling sends a strong signal that UEFA will be taking a much stricter approach toward multi-club ownership — a growing trend in global football that continues to challenge the sport’s regulatory frameworks.