Big European club may be banned from Champions League after UEFA decision
Ligue 1 big club Lyon might miss out on next year’s Champions League because they could have broken a deal made with UEFA last summer.
Right now, Lyon is fourth in Ligue 1, just one point behind Lille, and they have one game left against Lens this Sunday. If they win, they’ll at least get into the Champions League qualifiers. Even if they don’t get through that, they’ve already secured a spot in the Europa League.
But before Lyon can play in any UEFA competitions, they need to prove they’ve followed the governing body’s rules.
Last summer, UEFA’s financial watchdog hit Lyon, along with Aston Villa and Chelsea, with sanctions for not sticking to financial rules. Lyon was also fined £10.7 million and was first relegated to Ligue 2, but they won on appeal.
Lyon’s owners had to put in €60m (£51m) by October 15, turning it into club equity. But The Telegraph says they haven’t done this yet, which might mean they get kicked out of European games.
UEFA usually tries not to ban clubs, but it’s still possible if Lyon hasn’t met the rules.
The club is facing big money problems, with losses of €186m (£159m) in just the second half of 2025.
Currently, American investor Michele Kang is in charge as club president, along with John Textor, the previous owner and Crystal Palace shareholder. Textor tried to build a group of clubs called Eagle Football, but this caused big debts and losses.
The company Eagle Football Group, owned by Kang and Ares, says some of the losses were linked to deals Textor made with other clubs in the network, like Brazilian team Botofogo and Belgian side RWD Molenbeek. Lyon said those deals “were unknown and not reported in the financial statements.”
On the other hand, Gones Radio shared a different view: “There are rumors about Lyon being excluded from Europe, but the club says it’s following its commitments and working with UEFA. They say reports about missing payments are wrong. Right now, the focus is on finishing the season strong and qualifying for Europe.”