UEFA bans Russia from Women’s Euros | Euro ’28, ’32 bids ‘ineligible’

Russia have been disqualified from this summer’s Women’s Euros while its bids to host the men’s Euros in 2028 and 2032 have been deemed ineligible by UEFA.

European football’s governing body has also ruled that Russian teams will not be allowed to play in UEFA club competitions next season.

As a result, this season’s Scottish Premiership champions will go directly into the group stage of next season’s Champions League at the expense of Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg. The Scottish Premiership runners-up will now go into the third round of qualifying rather than the second. Celtic lead Rangers by six points with three games left to play this season.

UEFA’s ruling also means the UK and Ireland’s joint bid to host Euro 2028 is now rivalled only by Turkey, who have also declared an interest in hosting Euro 2032.

Portugal will take Russia’s place at the Women’s Euros in England this summer, having lost to them in the qualifying play-offs.

UEFA has announced a string of decisions in relation to Russia, which has been suspended since February following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Monday’s announcement also said Russia’s men’s team would not participate in the Nations League which begins in June, and will automatically face relegation from League B.

No Russian teams will be eligible to play in European competition next season, barring them from the Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League, Women’s Champions League and UEFA Youth League.

Russia will also be barred from playing any further matches in qualifying for either the Women’s World Cup in 2023 or the 2023 European Under-21 championships, with their results to this point declared null and void.

The bids submitted to host either Euro 2028 or 2032 have been dismissed, with UEFA’s executive committee citing article 16.02 of the regulations which states that “each bidder shall ensure that it does not act in a manner that could bring UEFA, the UEFA final or UEFA final phase, any other bidder (or any employee, officer or representative of any of the foregoing), the bidding procedure or European football into disrepute”.

The Euro 2028 and Euro 2032 competitions will be awarded to host countries in September 2023.

Russia successfully hosted the 2018 World Cup but has been exiled from the international sports community since its invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, with UEFA having already stripped St Petersburg of hosting rights for this season’s men’s Champions League final in February.

Russia had been due to face Poland in a World Cup qualifier in March, but were prevented from playing after their suspension, with Poland instead advancing to the final where they beat Sweden 2-0.

Spartak Moscow, the last remaining Russian club in European competition this season, were kicked out of the Europa League and UEFA terminated its sponsorship deal with Russian energy company Gazprom.

Russia launched an appeal against its previous suspension which is due to be heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, though no date has yet been fixed.