Champions League final venue switch looms

Contingency plans are being drawn up by UEFA over where to host this season's Champions League final, the PA news agency understands.

The 68,000-capacity Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg had been awarded the chance to host Europe's showpiece event but events overnight look likely to force a change of venue.

Russia president Vladimir Putin instructed an attack on Ukraine with explosions heard in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv while blasts were also reported in the cities of Odessa and Kharkiv.

UEFA is monitoring the situation with the Russian city set to be stripped of hosting the final, which is scheduled to take place on May 28.

After changing the venue for the final for the 2020 and 2021 editions due to the coronavirus pandemic, European football's governing body could be forced into a further switch but may wait until the latter stages of the competition to see which sides remain in the tournament.

Holders Chelsea, owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are all in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this week told the House of Commons: "A Russia that has pariah status - no chance of holding football tournaments in a Russia that invades sovereign countries."