CAS upheld a decision taken by UEFA to expel the club following crowd trouble involving their fans at a UEFA Cup group stage match at Nancy in France on Nov.30.

CAS also upheld a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs on Feyenoord who were due to play Tottenham Hotspur of England in the first knockout round.

The first leg was due to be held in Rotterdam next Wednesday with the return in London the following week.

Spurs have been given a bye into the last 16 of the competition and will face either Braga of Portugal or Parma of Italy in the second knockout round.

Friday's ruling was welcomed by new UEFA president Michel Platini.

"I am very happy with the decision," Platini said in a statement. "This sends out a strong message that acts of violence by fans within the game will be heavily dealt with and punished by the relevant authorities.

"Recent tragic incidents have shown that we must work together to eradicate all forms of hooliganism or violence from our game."

Feyenoord's financial director Onno Jacobs said on Feyenoord's Web site on Friday: "We have to accept this decision, though it is unpleasant for us.

"Our club and our real fans are being punished for the misbehaviour of people we have nothing to do with.

"We emphasized that we were powerless in this matter because the people who misbehaved did not got match tickets from us."

During the trouble at Nancy, tear gas was used to control rioting Feyenoord fans who spilled onto the pitch. The match was suspended for half an hour.

Feyenoord fans were in trouble earlier in the competition when a beaker of beer was thrown and hit Blackburn Rovers player Morten Gamst Pedersen in another group match.

The pairing of Spurs and Feyenoord created a first in European soccer as never before in any competition had two sides been drawn to play each other in five successive decades.

Although that record still stands in a sense, the games will now not go ahead leaving Spurs deprived of gate receipts and TV income from the tie.

Spurs have made no comment on the decision apart from telling supporters who have already purchased Feyenoord tickets they will be able to use them for the home match against either Braga or Parma at White Hart Lane scheduled for March 15. The first leg of that tie will be on March 8.