Izuchukwu Okosi
European football’s governing body, UEFA have elected to take the 2022 Champions League final away from St Petersburg following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe decision will be ratified at UEFA’s emergency meeting on Friday.
Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine on Thursday as a military airplane with 14 passengers crashed.
Consequently world football’s governing body FIFA will also meet on Thursday evening with Russia and Ukraine both scheduled to play in World Cup play-off matches in March.
Russia are due to play Poland on 24 March, while Scotland host Ukraine on the same day.
Ukraine’s domestic football league was set to resume this weekend after a winter break but that will remain suspended.
The Champions League final was set to be played at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on 28 May.
Meanwhile UEFA has confirmed that Zenit St Petersburg’s game away at Real Betis in the Europa League will go ahead on Thursday.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
