China News Agency, Paris, February 25 (Reporter Li Yang) The UEFA Executive Committee decided on the 25th local time that the 2022 Champions League final will be held from St. Petersburg, Russia to Paris, France.
UEFA issued a statement on the same day saying that the 2022 Champions League final will be held from St. Petersburg to Paris. The final venue will be the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. The final time will be at 9 pm CET on May 28.
The UEFA executive committee held a special meeting on the 25th to make a decision to change the venue of the Champions League final after the European security situation "seriously escalated," the statement said.
UEFA expressed its gratitude to French President Emmanuel Macron for his support and commitment to move the Champions League final to France at a time of crisis.
The statement said that UEFA will work with the French government to fully support and ensure the assistance to the players and their families who are facing difficulties in Ukraine.
The UEFA executive committee also decided that clubs and national teams from Russia and Ukraine, which participate in UEFA competitions, will be required to play their home games at neutral venues.
The Stade de France was the venue for the 1998 World Cup final in France and the 2006 UEFA Champions League final.
The 2006 Champions League final attracted 80,000 people to watch at the Stade de France, and the Spanish powerhouse Barcelona beat the English team Arsenal 2:1 to win the championship.
Russia expressed dissatisfaction with UEFA's decision.
Russian President's Press Secretary Peskov said that UEFA's decision was regrettable, "St. Petersburg could have provided the best conditions for hosting this event."
Comments generally believe that the Champions League final will be held in Paris, which will bring Paris Saint-Germain an excellent chance to win the championship. At present, the Paris Saint-Germain team has a strong lineup, and stars such as Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar are eager to try.
UEFA's executive committee said it would be "standby at all times" to convene a new ad hoc meeting if needed "to reassess the legal and practical developments" and make further decisions if necessary.
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