Football NewsBBC SportUnverified source· 20 Aug 2026
Brighton and Hearts cleared for Conference League despite shared owner
Two clubs with the same owner could meet in Europe – here's how they got the green light.
Brighton
team
Competition
Conference League
Owner
Tony Bloom
Brighton's opponent
Tromso
Hearts' opponent
Rapid Vienna
What happened. Brighton and Hearts, both owned by Tony Bloom, have been deemed eligible to play in the same Conference League season if they advance past the play-off round.
- Bloom holds 29% stakes in Hearts and Union Saint-Gilloise, below Uefa's 30% threshold.
- Crystal Palace were demoted from the Europa League last season due to a similar conflict.
- Both clubs face play-off ties this month.
The clubs must win their play-off ties to confirm their participation in the league phase.
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