Drogheda United facing expulsion from Uefa Conference League due to multi-club ownership rules

Drogheda United are facing expulsion from the Uefa Conference League due to both themselves and Silkeborg IF — who are both run by American-based Trivela Group — qualifying for this year's competition.

The club were informed today that due to multi-club ownership rules they may be removed from the competition.

The Uefa regulation states that 'no individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition'.

In a situation such as this, the club with the higher league placing is allowed to remain in the competition. Alarmingly, for Drogheda, that would be Silkeborg IF.

In a statement this afternoon, the club said the news came "despite significant efforts by the club to work constructively with UEFA to make necessary ownership and governance changes to allow both to compete over the past several months."

"We are devastated by this potential development and believe it would be both harsh and unfair, given the way brand new rule changes this year have been, in our view, inconsistently communicated and enforced across various clubs.

"We are now appealing the decision to the Court for Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Given we are now in the midst of an ongoing legal proceeding, and out of respect for that process, UEFA, the CFCB, and the overall aim of sporting integrity, there are limits to what we are able to share at this time.

"What we can say is this: we are — even at this late hour — fighting to do anything and everything we can to secure our players’, supporters’, and community’s place in Europe.

"We have been in active dialogue with UEFA for months and have put forward a share disposition, trust arrangements, and various other undertakings consistent with recent CFCB precedent, only to have all of those efforts rebuffed.

"Nevertheless, we look forward to the opportunity to be heard at CAS and thank you in advance for your support."