Paris to host Champions League final after Russia formally stripped of showpiece event by UEFA

Paris’ Stade de France will host the 2022 Champions League final, which UEFA formally stripped from Russia on Friday morning.

The Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg was due to be the venue for May’s showpiece fixture but the Russian invasion of Ukraine compelled European football’s governing body to move the match, which will be played on the same date and time — Saturday May 28, 3 p.m. ET — as it was previously scheduled.

A statement from UEFA said: “The UEFA executive committee decided to relocate the final of the 2021-22 UEFA Men’s Champions League from St Petersburg to Stade de France in St Denis. The game will be played as initially scheduled on Saturday May 28 at 2100 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.”

Moving the match to France is particularly notable after the geopolitical events of recent days, in which Macron’s attempts to arrange a political summit with Joe Biden and Russian president Vladimir Putin were swiftly bypassed as troops invaded Ukraine.

This will be the sixth occasion the greater Paris area has played host to Europe’s biggest club game. The first European Cup final was one of three played at the Parc des Princes whilst the Stade de France, constructed for the 1998 World Cup, will be hosting its third final. In 2000 Real Madrid beat Valencia, six years later two late goals saw Barcelona pip Arsenal at the post.

UEFA also confirmed that Russian and Ukrainian club and national teams would be required to play their UEFA-organised home games at neutral venues until further notice. That will include Spartak Moscow, who are in the round of 16 draw for the Europa League, whilst both national sides are involved in the Nations League this summer.

Global governing body FIFA has yet to decide the status of next month’s World Cup qualifying playoffs. Russia are due to host Poland and if they win that match would face Sweden or Czech Republic for a place at Qatar 2022. The football associations of all three countries released a statement on Thursday saying they did not want to travel to Russia. 

Ukraine are due to play Scotland at Hampden Park, Glasgow, but their preparations will inevitably be disrupted by the postponement of their domestic league. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said he hopes the conflict will be resolved in time for these games to take place.