FOOTBALL – UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE 2025/2026
THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT DISMISSES THE APPEAL BY DROGHEDA UNITED FC AGAINST UEFA
Lausanne, 16 June 2025 - The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed an appeal by Drogheda United Football Club (DUFC) against UEFA concerning a decision to remove the club from the UEFA Conference League 2025/2026, due to non-compliance with the UEFA Regulations on multi club ownership.
DUFC appealed to CAS against the decision by UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body on 5 June 2025 to remove the club from the upcoming Conference League, stating that it did not comply with the multi-club ownership criteria in UEFA’s Conference League Regulations (Art.5.01) as of the assessment date of 1 March 2025. DUFC requested that CAS annul the decision and be included in the draw for the second qualifying round on 17 June 2025. Both DUFC and Silkeborg IF, who also qualified for the competition, are owned by Trivela Group, a US based investment entity.
On 10 June 2025, the CAS Court Office registered the statement of appeal and initiated an arbitration procedure. An arbitral Panel was appointed, composed of Mr Kwadjo Adjepong (UK), President, Prof. Philippe Sands (UK/France) and Fabio Iudica (Italy).
A virtual hearing took place on 16 June 2025, after which the CAS Panel issued an Operative Decision by majority to dismiss the appeal. The Panel considered the evidence and found that, despite a change of assessment date from 3 June 2025 to 1 March 2025, such change was properly communicated by UEFA and that DUFC knew or ought to have known about this change. Furthermore, the majority of the Panel also rejected DUFC’s submissions on alleged unequal treatment by UEFA.
This was an expedited procedure, heard and rendered by CAS in five business days to comply with the UEFA Conference League draw. If Parties do not request confidentiality, a full CAS Award with grounds will be published in the coming weeks.
This document is an unofficial summary for media use.
For further information related to the CAS activity and procedures in general, please contact either Matthieu Reeb, CAS Director General, or Vanessa Tracey, Communications Officer. Palais de Beaulieu, av. Bergières 10, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland.
