US-owned Irish soccer club Drogheda barred from Conference League by UEFA ownership rules
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Irish Cup winner Drogheda lost its appeal on Monday against being removed from the Conference League next season for breaking UEFA rules on club ownership.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport said its judges gave an urgent decision dismissing Drogheda's appeal that was heard on Monday. On Tuesday, UEFA will start making the draws for qualifying rounds in the third-tier European competition.
Drogheda and Silkeborg of Denmark qualified for the Conference League second preliminary round but are owned by the Trivela Group from the United States.
UEFA rules to protect sporting integrity do not allow teams from a multi-club network to enter the same competition if one owner has 'decisive influence' over management of both.
CAS said the three judges agreed UEFA committed key information to Drogheda and that by a 2-1 majority 'rejected submissions on alleged unequal treatment by UEFA.'
Other cases involving Manchester City, Manchester United, AC Milan, Brighton and Aston Villa in the past two years were resolved by one of the ownership stakes being placed into a blind trust for the season. A UEFA expert panel also imposed transfer bans and limited cooperation between clubs in question.
The UEFA panel is also assessing if Crystal Palace and Lyon can both enter the next Europa League. Lyon's American owner John Textor has a 43% stake in Palace though with limited decision-making power.
In the latest case, Silkeborg took priority with UEFA to get the Conference League place because it finished higher in the Danish league this season than Drogheda did in the Irish league last year.
Drogheda loses prize money of 350,000 euros that UEFA pays for playing in the Conference League second qualifying round.
soccer: /hub/soccer
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Irish club Drogheda barred from Conference League by UEFA for breaking ownership rules
Irish Cup winner Drogheda lost its appeal on Monday against being removed from the Conference League next season for breaking UEFA rules when investors own multiple clubs. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said its judges gave an urgent decision dismissing Drogheda's appeal that was heard on Monday. On Tuesday, UEFA will start making the draws for the qualifying rounds in the third-tier European competition. Drogheda and Silkeborg of Denmark qualified for the Conference League second preliminary round, but are owned by the Trivela Group from the United States. UEFA rules to protect sporting integrity do not allow teams from a multi-club network to enter the same competition if one owner has 'decisive influence' over the management of both. Drogheda apologised to fans in a statement for the situation leading to a decision that caused 'great heartbreak and disbelief' and will cost the club at least hundreds of thousands of euros (dollars) in UEFA prize money. The American-backed club missed a March 1 deadline set by UEFA to anticipate a pending problem and make changes to the ownership or executive structure. ALSO READ | Women's Super League in England to expand from 12 to 14 teams CAS said the three judges agreed UEFA communicated key information which Drogheda 'knew or ought to have known about.' A 2-1 majority of the judges 'rejected (the club's) submissions on alleged unequal treatment by UEFA,' the court said. Other cases involving Manchester City, Manchester United, AC Milan, Brighton and Aston Villa in the past two years were resolved by one of the ownership stakes being placed into a blind trust for the season. A UEFA expert panel also imposed transfer bans and limited cooperation between the clubs in question. The UEFA panel is also assessing whether Crystal Palace and Lyon can both enter the next Europa League. Lyon's American owner, John Textor, has a 43% stake in Palace, though with limited decision-making power. In the latest case, Silkeborg took priority with UEFA to get the Conference League place because it finished higher in the Danish league this season than Drogheda did in the Irish league last year. Drogheda loses the prize money of 350,000 euros ($406,000) that UEFA pays for playing in the Conference League second qualifying round. 'We believe it is unjust. Rules should protect opportunity, not prevent it,' Drogheda said. 'Nevertheless, we accept responsibility. And we're sorry.' Related Topics UEFA Conference League
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
3 hours ago
- Business Standard
FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Chelsea vs LAFC live match time, streaming
The FIFA Club World Cup clash on Tuesday, June 17, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will see European powerhouse Chelsea take on North American champions LAFC in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. Chelsea, one of the most prestigious clubs in European football, enter the competition with lofty ambitions and a deep, talented squad aiming to lift the global crown once again. With a mix of world-class experience and youthful dynamism, the London side will look to assert their dominance early on. LAFC, champions of the MLS and a rising force in CONCACAF, arrive as underdogs but are more than capable of producing a surprise. Under head coach Steve Cherundolo, the Los Angeles-based side will look to utilise their quick attacking transitions and organised defensive shape to keep Chelsea at bay. The match sets the stage for a classic clash of footballing styles under the bright lights of Atlanta. Chelsea head into their Club World Cup opener with a relatively fit squad. No major injury concerns have been reported ahead of the clash with LAFC. Manager Enzo Maresca has not included any injured players in the 28-man travelling squad, choosing to leave behind all loanees and taking only fully fit personnel to the United States. LAFC head into the Chelsea clash with no major injury concerns reported. Key players like Denis Bouanga, Mark Delgado, Igor Jesus, Sergi Palencia and Ryan Hollingshead are all fit and expected to feature. The squad appears to be at full strength as they look to extend their 10-game unbeaten run across competitions. Chelsea vs LAFC starting 11 (probable) Chelsea starting 11 (probable): Jörgensen; Cucurella, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Gusto; Dewsbury-Hall, Caicedo; George, Palmer, Neto; Delap LAFC starting 11 (probable): Lloris; Palencia, Segura, Marlon, Hollingshead; Tillman, Jesus, Delgado; Yeboah, Giroud, Bouanga FIFA Club World Cup: Chelsea vs LAFC live telecast and streaming details When will the FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and LAFC be played? The FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and LAFC will be played on Tuesday, June 17. What time will the FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and LAFC begin on June 17? The FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and LAFC will kick off at 12:30 AM IST (June 17). What will be the venue for the FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and LAFC? The FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and LAFC will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, USA. Where will the live telecast of the FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and LAFC be available in India? The live telecast of FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and LAFC will not be available in India. Where will the live streaming of the FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and LAFC be available in India? The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup clash between Chelsea and LAFC will be streamed for free on DAZN's website and app, both in India and across the globe.
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
UTT: Players, coaches happy with format, seek more flexibility
CHENNAI: PLAYERS and coaches credited the format of the Ultimate Table Tennis behind its growth. While they were full of praise for the mixed doubles matches, they felt rules on the order of play could be flexible. The final at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad saw higher attendance than it did in the semifinals on Friday and Saturday. Paddlers and coaches summed up their feelings about the tournament, and put forth suggestions for next season. John Murphy, the foreign coach of 2025 champions U Mumba, has been a long-time follower of this league. He expressed his happiness in being a part of the league and hopes to be a part of it next season. He suggested, 'I think that when you win the toss, I think maybe having the option to be able to start with men or women.' This is regarding the fixed format of having to start a tie between two teams only with a men's singles' match, followed by women's singles' match, the mixed doubles, then another men's singles, and finishing with the women's singles. 'I think, if you have someone like Bernie (Bernadette Szocs, U Mumba) in your team, starting her early in the match, I think it can be something exciting for the league and I think it can also change that dynamic. We can start a 7-7 tie with a men's match or a women's match, of our choice,' he told reporters post the final. He also wanted to see a little more emphasis on the draw. "I would also like to see flexibility for teams to be able to decide whether men or women start," he added. The mixed doubles matches have been the standout part of the league. Coaches and players have relished the prospect of being part of this match. Pavel Rehorek, foreign coach of runners up Jaipur Patriots, called it a 'table tennis party.' Rehorek's career as a coach has seen his teams dominate European table tennis. He has led TTC Neuhausen, a table tennis team in Switzerland, to 14 league titles. But, being in the UTT, has been the most exciting experience for the Czechia coach. "The quality of players is fantastic. You see good players even in teams finishing fifth, sixth and seventh," he added. That excitement, according to Patriots paddler from the United States Kanak Jha, is also seen amongst TV viewers. 'I think what UTT has now is a good league product. The fact that it's a mixed team, it's relatively short, so it's good for the spectators. The people don't want to stay too long where it gets boring. They have everything in three sets, so every set comes at one point. It's a good system because even if a team is down, people still stay to watch. So in this way, I think the product that they've created is good here for the spectators and for TV viewers,' he said. With regards to expanding the league, he said, "More teams is always helpful. more players, especially the foreign players, I think play a quite important role because they bring a little bit more of that star power and the high level to the league matches.'
