Uefa has rejected Russia's bid to host the men's European Championship in 2028 or 2032, citing a clause that bars bids from acting in a manner bringing European football into disrepute. The decision, announced on Monday, comes as the governing body continues to respond to the war in Ukraine.
In a further move, Russia's women's team will be replaced by Portugal at this summer's European Championship in England, which begins on 6 July. Portugal had lost to Russia in a qualifying play-off, but will now take the place after Uefa nullified Russia's results in qualifying group E. Russia will also be barred from attempting to qualify for next year's Women's World Cup.
Uefa also confirmed that no Russian clubs will be allowed to compete in European competitions next season. One immediate consequence is that the Scottish Premiership champions will gain automatic qualification for the Champions League group stages, taking the place previously allocated to the Russian champions.
The governing body stated it was acting to ensure 'smooth staging in a safe and secure environment for all' participants. A Uefa spokesperson added that the organisation would 'remain on standby to convene further meetings to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary'.
