CRYSTAL PALACE have been handed a fine by Uefa for displaying a controversial banner during their Conference League play-off match against Fredrikstad last month.
Palace has been fined by UEFA (~£8,700 / €10,000) after fans displayed a banner reading “UEFA MAFIA” referencing frustration over their demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League (due to multi-club ownership rules).
⚖️ UEFA’s Side (the “by the book” view)
•Multi-club ownership rules: UEFA enforces strict rules to prevent conflicts of interest when two clubs under the same ownership/management structure qualify for European competitions.
•In Crystal Palace’s case, their American owners (John Textor’s Eagle Football) also control Lyon and have stakes in other clubs. Because both Palace and Lyon qualified for European competitions, UEFA applied the rules and demoted Palace from the Europa League to the Conference League.
•Fan protest: Palace fans displayed a banner with “UEFA MAFIA” and the UEFA logo. UEFA fined the club (~€10,000) because banners targeting the organisation are considered an “offensive message” under stadium rules.
•From UEFA’s perspective, they were just enforcing their own rulebook on both ownership and stadium discipline.
🦅 Crystal Palace / Fan Perspective
Fans argue Palace earned their Europa League spot on sporting merit, and were unfairly punished because of their owners’ wider business dealings.
Many feel UEFA protects the elite clubs, while smaller or mid-tier teams like Palace bear the brunt of strict interpretations.
The fine for the banner added insult to injury, as it punished supporters for protesting a decision they felt was unjust.
🤔 Was UEFA “right”?
•Technically: Yes — they followed the rules as written. Multi-club ownership conflicts are a known issue in modern football.
•Fairness debate: Many argue it’s not fair on Palace, since players, staff, and fans who fought for European football lost out because of boardroom politics. It highlights growing tension between football as a business and football as a sport.
