Champions League final to move out of Saint Petersburg over Russia-Ukraine conflict?

The diplomatic world has been headlined by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as reports state that an impending war could be triggered. As a result, the safety of the people living in the two countries could be compromised, while sporting actions could also take a hit. In the meantime, the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League (UCL) could also be affected.

The UCL final is slated to be held at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg on May 28. However, given the current diplomatic relations between Russia and Ukraine, the safety of hosting sports in the country in the coming days is in serious doubt. As a result, reports have indicated that the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) could be contemplating moving the final from the country.

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RMC Sport reports that the final could be moved to England, with the iconic Wembley Stadium in London being tipped as the ultimate venue to host the game. However, it remains to be seen whether UEFA will follow the sanctions over Russia. "Uefa is constantly and closely monitoring the situation. At present, there are no plans to change the venue," read the latest UEFA statement.

UEFA generally remains neutral on contentious geopolitical issues. However, it has received criticisms on some instances in the past, like blocking Allianz Arena from lighting up in LGBTQI+ colours during the Euro 2020 last year after Hungary's anti-gay legislation, besides awarding Azerbaijan the Europa League (UEL) final in 2019 despite Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal) of Armenia unable to travel to the country. Also, it is to be noted that one of the prime sponsors of the UCL happens to be Gazprom, a Russia-owned energy company.