The 2022 Champions League final, previously set to be played in Saint Petersburg, Russia in late May, has been moved by UEFA, according to a report by the Associated Press.
While there has yet to be an update from UEFA beyond confirming the European football governing body has met for an “extraordinary congress” to discuss the matter, Rob Harris of the AP reports that the decision has been made to change venues.
With Russia currently embroiled in a military escalation on the border with Ukraine, world leaders are looking to take action as Eastern Europe grapples with the consequences of a potential conflict.
UEFA taking action could be seen as a statement of intent against Russian aggression, but more importantly for the federation, it is to secure a more stable environment for its marquee event. It would be extremely difficult to logistically handle travel to and from a country at war.
MORE: Ranking the remaining 16 Champions League teams
It was thought possible that a de-escalation of the situation could see the match remain in Saint Petersburg, but UEFA’s hand has been forced by the full-scale invasion on Thursday night,
Here is the latest on the 2022 Champions League final and its venue.
Could UEFA move Champions League final 2022?
On the morning of Friday, Feb. 24, UEFA released a statement confirming that a meeting would be held to determine the future of the Champions League final this summer. “Following the evolution of the situation between Russia and Ukraine in the last 24 hours,” UEFA said in a statement, “the UEFA president has decided to call an extraordinary meeting of the executive committee….in order to evaluate the situation and take all necessary decisions,”
The Associated Press reports that the outcome of that meeting was the decision to change venue, although no official confirmation of that has yet come down from UEFA.
This move has been in the works since earlier in the week when multiple reports, including from ESPN and The Independent, claimed UEFA was holding internal discussions regarding a contingency plan for the 2022 Champions League final, pending the escalating situation in Eastern Europe.
MORE: Champions League Round of 16 schedule & results
The latest action by Russian president Vladimir Putin to move troops across the border into the Ukraine had placed additional pressure onto UEFA, and according to The Independent’s report from earlier in the week, this action makes it “virtually certain” that the final will be moved. The Independent continues to state that “UEFA now sees a contingency plan as essential.”
Rangnick on the Champions League final being played in Russia: “It’s still a long way until the final. If we are to have a chance, we need to play Atletico first. What would happen then is something for UEFA and maybe something for politicians to decide upon.”#UCL
— Bolarinwa Olajide (@iambolar) February 22, 2022
Numerous major airlines in Europe, including Dutch company KLM, have announced a restriction of travel and a reduction of flights to and from Russia and Ukraine as a result of the latest developments. In addition, there are numerous Kyiv and the port city of Kharkiv.
U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson has come out publicly against Russia’s actions in the days before the invasion, emphatically stating his opposition to the idea of the aggressive nation hosting a Champions League final.
“It is clear from the response of the world to what he has done already in Donbas that he is going to end up with a Russia that is poorer as a result of the sanctions that the world will implement,” Johnson said. “A Russia that is more isolated, a Russia that has pariah status — no chance of holding football tournaments in a Russia that invades sovereign countries.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says it is inconceivable that the Champions League Final should take place in St Petersburg in Russia given the political situation in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/swC0QkhyWj
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 22, 2022
Where will the 2022 UEFA Champions League final be moved to?
At the present time, the 2022 Champions League final is scheduled to be played in Saint Petersburg, Russia at Krestovsky Stadium, but according to reports that will be changing shortly.
MORE: Champions League best bets for Round of 16
Once it is officially announced that the 2022 Champions League final has been pulled from Russia, UEFA will work to secure a new venue. That decision will likely be made in short order, although there is precedence for UEFA waiting until very late in the process to make venue changes, even for big events.
Russia was initially scheduled to host the 2021 Champions League final, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, the final was moved to Porto, Portugal and all subsequent hosts, including Russia, were pushed back by a year, leaving Saint Petersburg to host the 2022 final. UEFA’s announcement of that venue change came on May 13, just 16 days before the match was to be played.
The 2020 Champions League final was also moved due to the COVID-19 pandemic, originally scheduled to take place in Istanbul, Turkey but it was announced in March that the final was postponed due to the heightening pandemic situation. In mid-June, the venue was moved to Lisbon, Portugal and scheduled for August 23.
According to reports in England, Wembley Stadium in London is being considered as an alternative should the event be moved. However, outlets outside the English tabloids have yet to corroborate those reports or float other possible venues for UEFA’s contingency plans.
Other UEFA European finals affected by political unrest
UEFA was recently forced to manage a similar incident just three years ago, and that experience and the widespread criticism leveled at the European governing body could inform future decisions.
The 2019 Europa League final, contested between Chelsea and Arsenal, was held at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan.
UEFA received extensive criticism for sticking with the final in Azerbaijan despite an ongoing conflict with neighboring Armenia. This conflict saw Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who is an Armenian international, unable to play in the match, as he was held back for concerns over his safety while in Azerbaijan.
In addition to Mkhitaryan’s inability to play, a number of fans from the United Kingdom of Armenian descent were initially denied visas for the trip, until UEFA stepped in and helped smooth over the situation.
UEFA could face a similar situation depending on the teams that advance to the final. Most notably, Manchester City, the current betting favorite for the competition, features Ukrainian international Oleksandr Zinchenko as a regular contributor, and should the club potentially reach a final held in Russia, the venue might put into question his participation in the event.