Dylan Bettencourt
Uefa have made the decision to move the Champions League away from Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg stadium will no longer host the final set for 28 May. The European governing body will make the decision official during their emergency meeting on Friday, according to the BBC.
The emergency meeting will also discuss the Fifa World Cup playoffs that involve Russia and Ukraine.
Russia is scheduled to play Poland on 24 March, while Scotland are due to host Ukraine on the same day.
As the invasion continues to interfere in the world of football, the dangers in Ukraine have forced the domestic league to remain suspended following its winter break.
While games for the involved nations appear to be heading for suspension, Zenit St Petersburg’s Europa League fixture will go ahead on Thursday night, Uefa confirmed.
On Tuesday, the governing body met to discuss the possibility of moving the venue if an invasion took place.
“Uefa is monitoring the situation and any decision would be made in due course if necessary. Uefa has no further comments to make at present,” it said in a statement.
Wembley Stadium in London, England, is reported to be a possible destination for the showpiece, but a scheduling conflict could force Uefa to look elsewhere.
Relocating Champions League fixtures is something Uefa have become accustomed to as the last two seasons saw venues moved for Covid-19 reasons.
Reports suggest Uefa were anticipating a de-escalation of the situation, but Russia’s invasion on Thursday forced the hand of the governing body.
While no official confirmation has come from Uefa on the relocation of the final, a report by the Independent said that it is “virtually certain” that the final will be moved as “Uefa now sees a contingency plan as essential.”
Uefa have come under fire since Russia threatened an invasion of Ukraine, with calls for the governing body to drop its partnership with Gazrpom, a majority-owned Russian energy company.
Image source: @TheGuardian
