The Court of Arbitration for Sport has set November 24 as the date for its hearing into the dispute between FC Sion and UEFA.
The Swiss club were thrown out of the Europa League on September 2 after being found guilty of fielding ineligible players in their play-off match against Celtic, who were installed in the group stage in their place.
UEFA have since rejected numerous attempts by the club to regain their place via the Swiss civil court in the Canton of Vaud, insisting that the CAS is the only authority with jurisdiction over the matter.
The hearing date is subject to all parties' availability, and a statement on UEFA's website read: "UEFA has constantly insisted on the need for a rapid decision on the merits of the case and has therefore already confirmed its availability, in an effort to respect all of the dates proposed by the CAS."
UEFA president Michel Platini has launched a passionate defence of the CAS's role in football.
"If tomorrow you receive a red card on the pitch and you go to a judge because you cannot play in the next match, and the judge says you are right, what can we do?" Platini told French broadcaster RTL.
"Everything must depend on the CAS.
"Today, we have in principle an independent disciplinary process in the federations, in UEFA, in FIFA. If nobody respects its decisions and goes before civil courts, now that justice today moves slowly, I ask myself how this could happen.
"What do we do if a club relegated to the second division go to a court because they have a first division budget and want to stay there?"
