UEFA is considering switching this season’s Champions League final away from St Petersburg amid the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
UEFA is assessing the whole situation before making a decision on the matter but it is set to be looking for a new venue at short notice for the third year running.
The past two Champions League finals were played in Portugal because of Covid-19 related issues.
Other Uefa competition fixtures may yet need to be moved. There are no teams from Ukraine left in any other European competition this season but Russian club Zenit St Petersburg are still in the Europa League and are set to play the second leg of their play-off round tie with Real Betis in Spain on Thursday. Zenit lost the home leg 3-2.
At international level, Russia are scheduled to host Poland in a World Cup play-off on 24 March and – if they win – would face Sweden or Czech Republic on 29 March.
Ukraine are also in the World Cup play-offs, and visit Scotland and then either Wales or Austria in their bid to qualify for the tournament in Qatar.
Tensions in the region have escalated further this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering troops into two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, after recognizing them as independent states.
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