Belarus national and club teams to play Uefa home matches at neutral venues

Belarusian clubs and national teams are to play their home matches in Uefa competitions at neutral venues.

No spectators will be allowed to attend matches when teams from Belarus feature as hosts.

The move comes after Russian club and national teams were suspended from all Uefa and Fifa competitions following the invasion of Ukraine.

Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Belarus supported Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February.

Russia has been banned from competing by the world and European football governing bodies until further notice.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said it was «impossible to say» when Russia would be allowed to compete again.

«At this moment our decision was the only right decision. What happens tomorrow, nobody knows,» he said on Thursday.

«For now it stays like that and we are waiting for peace to come. Football will be the least important thing then.»