Court rules Dutch football body can relegate FC Twente

"The judge believes that the KNVB acted within reason in taking this measure," the court said in a written judgement, adding the club's lawsuit was "inadmissible".

The KNVB revoked the club's licence for the Eredivisie championship on May 18, in a row which dates back to 2013 when the former FC Twente administration concluded financial deals with investment company Doyen Sports.

The KNVB said those contracts breached transfer market regulations. But given Twente's efforts to clean up its act, the KNVB said it would give it a new licence for the second division Jupiler League.

Twente was not happy and appealed the decision before the courts.

Friday's court decision however does not end the case, as the club has also appealed directly to the KNVB's appeals committee which is due to rule on Monday.

In December, Twente were fined 200,000 euros and banned from Europe for three years.

They were also docked three points in the league season.

And in March, the club was sanctioned by FIFA for breaking the rules on the ownership of a player's economic rights by a third party, which has been banned for the past year. Twente was ordered to pay some 169,000 euros in fines.