The Champions League final will be held in Paris in May, rather than St. Petersburg, as previously announced by UEFA.
For the first time since 2006, the European football championship will be contested in the Stade de France, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rendered St. Petersburg unable to host the event.
French President Emmanuel Macron was intimately involved in Thursday afternoon conversations with UEFA chairman Aleksander eferin about relocating the final to France, according to many authorities. eferin proposed and endorsed the concept. On Thursday, eferin visited Paris to see Macron and seal the agreement.
Officials say taking the championship from Russia was considered as a coup by Macron, who made the call in the early hours of Monday, thinking he’d secured further diplomatic negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin recognized the so-called People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine a few hours later.
In a statement released after a meeting Friday morning of UEFA’s Executive Committee, European football’s governing body said: “UEFA wishes to express its thanks and appreciation to French Republic President Emmanuel Macron for his personal support and commitment to have European club football’s most prestigious game moved to France at a time of unparalleled crisis.”
Russian and Ukrainian clubs competing in UEFA competitions will also have to play home matches at neutral venues “until further notice,” the statement said.