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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Darragh Culhane

Republic of Ireland's UEFA Nations League clash to be played in neutral venue

Ireland's clash against Ukraine later this year is set to be played in a neutral venue.

The news comes as UEFA have announced the upcoming Champions League final away from Russia and moved to Paris.

The biggest game in European club football was due to take place at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on May 28.

But Russia's invasion of Ukraine has seen them lose their host city status with UEFA deciding on Paris as a replacement.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin quickly called an extraordinary meeting for Friday morning amid the escalating situation in Ukraine where the venue change was decided and Ireland's summer clash against Ukraine looks set to be played at a neutral venue.

Russian and Ukrainian teams - both club and national - will also be required to play at neutral venues in European competitions until further notice.

A UEFA statement read: "The UEFA Executive Committee decided to relocate the final of the 2021/22 UEFA Men’s Champions League from Saint Petersburg to Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The game will be played as initially scheduled on Saturday 28 May at 21:00 CET.

"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.

" Together with the French government, UEFA will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement.

"At today’s meeting, the UEFA Executive Committee also decided that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.

"The UEFA Executive Committee further determined to remain on standby to convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary."

Ireland were due to face Ukraine on 14 June in Lviv but a venue change now seems near certain.

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