FOOTBALL – UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE
THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT DISMISSES THE APPEAL BY FK DAC 1904 AGAINST UEFA CONCERNING MULTI CLUB OWNERSHIP
Lausanne, 14 July 2025 - The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed an appeal by Slovakian football club FK DAC 1904, A.S. (DAC) 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.
DAC appealed to CAS against the decision by UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body on 26 June 2025 to remove DAC from the 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. DAC and the Hungarian club Györi ETO FC (ETO FC), which also qualified for the competition, have ownership structures that include the financial holding company EEA Holding B.V. (EEA). The UEFA decision stated that three members of the same family were involved, either directly or indirectly, in the “shareholding/membership of both Clubs” and “in the governance of both Clubs.”
DAC requested that CAS annul the decision and reassess the ownership between DAC and ETO FC, arguing that UEFA’s change in the relevant assessment date, brought forward from 3 June 2025 to 1 March 2025, was invalid and not enforceable. DAC also argued that the structure of the holding company EEA does not violate UEFA regulations, as there is no possibility of it exerting influence over the club. On 4 July, the CAS Court Office registered the statement of appeal and initiated an expedited arbitration procedure. An arbitral Panel was appointed, composed of Mr Mark Andrew Hovell (UK), President, Mr Bernhard Welten (Switzerland) and Ms Raphaëlle Favre Schnyder (Switzerland). A virtual hearing was held on 14 July 2025, and an operative decision issued the same day.
The CAS Panel unanimously found (a) that the change of the assessment date was in accordance with the procedures established by the UEFA Statutes and (b) that there were breaches by DAC of the UEFA Club Competition Regulations (both Article 5.01(b) and Article 5.01(c)(iv)) as the same person is the Managing (and sole) Director of ETO FC, whilst also being the CEO, Vice-President and a board member of DAC and therefore this person is not only directly involved in the management of both clubs, but also able to exercise a decisive influence in the decision-making of both clubs. In conclusion, the Panel dismissed the appeal.
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