Soccer

Report: UCL final to be moved out of Russia over attack on Ukraine

This season’s Champions League final will no longer take place in St. Petersburg on May 28 because of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, a source told The Associated Press’ Rob Harris.

UEFA said Thursday it “strongly condemns” the ongoing invasion but stopped short of confirming the decision to relocate the final.

Earlier, European football’s governing body announced it will hold an extraordinary meeting of the executive committee to “evaluate the situation and take all necessary decisions.”

The move comes against the backdrop of what Ukraine’s minister of foreign affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, called a “full-scale invasion” of the country late Wednesday night. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced martial law shortly after Russian troops and aircraft hit cities and military bases, killing at least 40 people, according to The Associated Press.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, along with fan groups, had put pressure on UEFA to move the final out of St. Petersburg. Johnson said Wednesday there was “no chance of holding a football tournament in a Russia that invades sovereign countries.”

UEFA has close ties with Russia. It has a major sponsorship deal with Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company, worth a reported €40 million per season. Gazprom’s logo most recently appeared on the sidelines of Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 match between Benfica and Ajax.

The company is also a general sponsor and stakeholder of Zenit St. Petersburg, who are scheduled to face Real Betis in Spain in the Europa League on Thursday, and it has deals with Germany’s FC Schalke and Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade.

However, Schalke said Thursday they’re removing Gazprom’s logo from their shirts. Matthias Warnig, Gazprom’s representative on the club’s board, tendered his resignation shortly after the announcement.

UEFA relocated the previous two Champions League finals because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Istanbul ceded hosting rights to Lisbon in 2020 and again in 2021 to Porto.

The last time Russia hosted a final was in 2008 in Moscow.