Russia will no longer host the 2022 Champions League final
Russia have been stripped of the 2022 Champions League final following the country’s invasion on Ukraine, as reported by the Associated Press.
The showpiece event of European club football was scheduled to take place in St Petersburg on May 28, but governing body UEFA came under increasing pressure to find an alternative host city after Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion on Ukraine.
It is thought that UEFA were closely monitoring developments around the Ukraine-Russia border over recent weeks, and the decision has now been made to move to final from the Krestovsky Stadium, also known as the Gazprom Arena, in Saint Petersburg.
It is unclear at the moment which venue will now host the 2022 Champions League final, but the London Stadium, Wembley Stadium and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have all been touted as potential host grounds.
The governing body may choose to wait until after the second legs (due to be played on May 3-4) of the semi-finals have been completed before announcing the new venue.
On February 23 2021, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss suggested that English teams should boycott the Champions League final if they make it that far over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC, Truss said “If I was on an English team, I would boycott it.”
She added: “I would personally not want to be playing in a football match in St Petersburg given what the Putin regime is doing.”
Her comments followed those of a former Football Association (FA) chair, Lord David Triesman, who told LBC that it is “utterly inconceivable” that the Champions League should go ahead in Russia.
Four English teams – Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool – are all among the final 16 teams in the Champions League.
Chelsea beat Manchester City in the final last year, which took place in Portugal and Liverpool previously won the league in 2019.
Related links:
- Boycott Champions League final in Russia, Lizz Truss urges Premier League teams
- Calls grow for UEFA to strip Russia of Champions League final after Ukraine invasion
- London Stadium open to hosting Champions League final as alternative venue
