The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has moved the 2022 Champions League finals to Stade de France in Paris following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The final was initially scheduled to take place at Russia’s Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on May 28, but after an emergency executive committee meeting on Friday, the match was moved to the Stade de France, Paris, the capital of France.
A statement by the European football governing body said no European competition games will be played in either Russia or Ukraine till the conflict ends.
The statement reads, “The UEFA Executive Committee today held an extraordinary meeting following the grave escalation of the security situation in Europe.
“The UEFA Executive Committee decided to relocate the final of the 2021/22 UEFA Men’s Champions League from Saint Petersburg to Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The game will be played as initially scheduled on Saturday 28 May at 21:00 CET.
“UEFA wishes to express its thanks and appreciation to French Republic President Emmanuel Macron for his personal support and commitment to have European club football’s most prestigious game moved to France at a time of unparalleled crisis.
“Together with the French government, UEFA will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement.
“At today’s meeting, the UEFA Executive Committee also decided that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.
“The UEFA Executive Committee further determined to remain on standby to convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary.”
KanyiDaily had reported how Russian President, Vladimir Putin ordered a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine on Thursday morning, killing hundreds of people and wounding dozens.
According to Al Jazeera, Ukraine President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy had on Thursday said 137 civilians and military personnel have been killed in the country on the first day of the Russian invasion with 316 wounded.
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