UEFA moves Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris

UEFA has moved this year's Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, European football's governing body said in a statement on Friday (Feb 25).

UEFA also said that the home games of Ukrainian and Russian club and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be played at neutral venues "until further notice".

The governing body thanked French President Emmanuel Macron for his "personal support and commitment" in taking on the final.

It added that it would "fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement".

The Champions League final was set to be staged at Zenit St Petersburg's stadium on May 28 with thousands of supporters from across the continent expected to attend the showcase match in European club football.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call: "It's a shame that such a decision has been made. St Petersburg could have provided all favourable conditions to hold this festival of soccer."

UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, who is responsible for sport, backed the UEFA decision.

"I welcome UEFA's decisive action to strip St Petersburg of staging this year's Champions League final.

"Russia must not be allowed to exploit sporting and cultural events on the world stage to legitimise its unprovoked, premeditated and needless attack against a sovereign democratic state."

The St Petersburg stadium is known as the Gazprom Stadium following a sponsorship deal with Russia's state energy company, which also sponsors the Champions League and UEFA's Euro 2024 national team competition.

The move to strip St Petersburg