Olympique Lyon will also play in the French Ligue 1. The club was successful with an objection to the forced descent at the National Control and Administrative Directorate (DNCG).
“Ol thanks the appeal committee for the recognition of the ambitions of the new club management, which is determined to continue to ensure responsible management in the future”the seven -time master (2002 to 2008) said.
The new club bosses Michele Kang and Michael Gerlinger would have convinced the financial supervisory authority for football that the association had the necessary funds for the 2025/26 season, said Olympique. However, the DNCG’s appeal committee called for regulation of salaries and transfer expenses for the future.
Lyon remains first class – and plays Europa League
Lyon was downgraded to Ligue 2 on June 24 for violations of the financial requirements. The club had initially tried unsuccessfully to convince the financial supervisory authority to abolish the measures imposed in November. Among these was the administrative downgrading. This was achieved in the second attempt.
Now Olympique Lyon will play in France’s Ligue 1 in the coming season and at the same time in the Europa League. And that could trigger a chain reaction across Europe’s football-with consequences, also for the English FA Cup winner Crystal Palace.
“Multi -Club Ownership” – Textor had shares in Lyon and Crystal Palace
At the club from London, John Textor, until the end of June, kept a majority owner at Olympique Lyon, more than 40 percent of the shares. In the meantime, Textor has sold its shares to Crystal Palace and has resigned from Lyon – but this may have been too late for the club from the Premier League.
Palace threatens a starting ban for the Europa League, for which the team of coach Oliver Glasner had qualified as a FA-Cup winner. The reason is the regulations on the so-called “multi-club ownership”. In the rules of the UEFA, it is stipulated: If a natural or a legal person takes decisive control over more than one club in competition, these teams must not start in the same competition.
By March 1st, both clubs should have clarified their circumstances. You missed this deadline.
The UEFA has not always consistently interpreted its rule
If the UEFA does not allow both clubs for the Europa League, Lyon should have the better chances. In this case, the placement in the respective league table would probably be taken into account at the end of the past season. The 2024/25 season ended Lyon in France’s Ligue 1 as the sixth, while Crystal Palace became twelfth in England’s Premier League.
The rule that could lead to Crystal Palace’s European League exclusion is not new. But UEFA has not consistently used it recently – she has had clubs several times in recent years that had or have had it. Not only the coach Glasner will hope for a similar rule design at the club in London.