Russian football teams won’t be allowed in Women’s European Championship, next men’s UEFA Champions League and 2023 Women's World Cup qualifiers.
Russian football teams were kicked out of the Women’s European Championship, the next men’s UEFA Champions League and qualifying for the 2023 Women's World Cup by UEFA on Monday. The decisions come amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine. (More Football News)
It's the latest round of sanctions during Russia's war on Ukraine after FIFA and UEFA previously suspended Russian national and club teams in February. UEFA said Portugal will take Russia's place in the Women's Euro 2022 being hosted by England in July.
Russian league winner Zenit St. Petersburg's place in the next UEFA Champions League group stage will go instead to the champion of Scotland, according to UEFA's updated list of allocated entries.
UEFA said its executive committee took the latest decisions to “ensure their smooth staging in a safe and secure environment for all those concerned." Russia’s bids to host the men’s Euros in 2028 or 2032 – both launched since the war started -- were also terminated, with UEFA ruling them ineligible.
Russia will also not play in its second-tier group of the men’s Nations League and will be automatically relegated, UEFA said. Scheduled opponents in June and September were Iceland, Israel and Albania.
Football in Ukraine was suspended when the war started on February 24. Its top clubs, Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv, are touring Europe playing charity games and the national team will resume its own delayed World Cup qualifying program in June.
Ukraine will play Scotland on June 1. The winner advances to play Wales in Cardiff four days later with a place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar at stake.