Irish Club Expelled From UEFA Conference League
Drogheda United has been expelled from the 2025-26 UEFA Conference League.
Last November, the club won the Football Association of Ireland Cup after beating Derry City 2-0 in the final. As a result, they automatically qualified for the second preliminary round of the Conference League, which starts on 10 July.
However, the football body’s rules dictate that two teams owned by the same entity are prohibited from participating in the same European competition.
As of writing, Drogheda are owned by the Trivela Group, a US-based entity that also owns Silkeborg IF, a Danish football side which recently qualified for the upcoming tournament.
Because Silkeborg finished seventh in the Danish Superliga, Drogheda – who placed ninth in the League of Ireland Premier Division – were deemed ineligible for this year’s Conference League due to their lower league standing.
The Irish semi-professional club appealed this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but their appeal was rejected on Monday, 16 June.
“We will not let this setback define us,” a statement subsequently released by Drogheda reads. “Instead, we will use it as fuel. Our club has never been handed anything, and we’ve earned every inch through grit, resilience and unity. And we will continue to do so.”
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