Uefa will take the 2022 Champions League final away from St Petersburg following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision will be made at Friday’s emergency meeting of European football’s governing body.
Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine on Thursday. World football’s governing body Fifa is to meet on Thursday with Russia and Ukraine both scheduled to play in World Cup play-off matches in March.
Russia are due to play Poland on 24 March, while Scotland host Ukraine on the same day. Ukraine’s domestic football league was set to resume this weekend after a winter break but that will remain suspended. Fifteen of the most recent 23-man Ukraine squad play in their homeland.
Sweden are also in the play-offs and would meet Russia for a place at the World Cup finals, which get under way in Qatar in November, if both win their semi-finals. Karl-Erik Nilsson, the chairman of the Swedish Football Association, told Reuters a match in Russia was “almost unthinkable” at the moment.
The Champions League final was set to be played at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on 28 May. Meanwhile, Zenit St Petersburg’s game on Thursday will go ahead, Uefa has confirmed. They face Spanish side Real Betis away in the Europa League at 20:00 GMT.
