Drogheda United, after winning the Irish Cup 2024.
Credit: Drogheda United Official Website
Drogheda United’s heartbreak is official. They will not play in next year’s UEFA Conference League.
Why? According to UEFA regulations, they have one too many teams.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed Drogheda’s final appeal this week, confirming UEFA’s decision to expel the club from the UEFA Conference League for the next edition because of a conflict of interests in multiclub ownership.
Drogheda United is excluded from Conference League
Drogheda United, as well as Silkeborg, are both owned by US-based entities Trivela Group. The UEFA regulations state that two clubs owned by the same group cannot participate in the same European competition.
Silkeborg was chosen because they finished higher than Drogheda in their home league (7th in Denmark, compared to 9th in Ireland).
Drogheda won the Irish Cup (a 2-0 win over Derry City) in November, but that wasn’t enough.
“Unjust!” – Drogheda hits back
Drogheda United did not hold back in a statement that was strongly worded:
We disagree with the decision. “We believe that it is unfair.”
“We have failed after months of engagement, constructive dialog, countless hours legal preparation and multiple proposals based upon frameworks that were accepted in the past.” The ruling was not in our favor despite the genuine and vocal support of the entire football community.
The club accepted accountability and said they felt deeply for their fans, even though it called the decision “unjust”.
“We will not allow this setback to define us.” Instead, we’ll use it to fuel our efforts.”
The issue of racism in European football is growing
Drogheda’s case echoes a growing concern in European football — the rise of multi-club ownership and how it clashes with competition integrity.
Even the top teams are not immune. Crystal Palace, which qualified for Europe in the past 120 years for the first-time, could face a similar situation due to their shared ownership with French club Lyon.
UEFA previously allowed clubs to compete under multiple club umbrellas like Aston Villa or Manchester City. However, this was only done after extensive investigations and restructuring.
“Rules must protect opportunities!”
Drogheda questioned the priorities of UEFA in his remarks:
“Rules must protect opportunities, not hinder them. “Especially for clubs that are community-driven, like us, who strive to be better than their peers every day,” they added.
Unfortunately for Irish football, Derry City — the club Drogheda beat in the FAI Cup final — won’t take their place either. The UEFA licensing period has passed.
Drogheda’s European dreams have ended for the moment. The fire is still burning.
“Our team has never received anything. We’ve earned it all through hard work, perseverance, and unity. And we will do so.”
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