Uefa poised to end £80m link with Russian gas giant
Gazprom has sponsored the Champions League as well as international competitions since 2012, agreeing a new three-year, £40 million-a-season contract last May
Uefa is set to terminate an £80 million sponsorship deal with the Russian state energy company Gazprom after confirming that this season’s Champions League final would be played in Paris rather than St Petersburg.
On a day when Formula One announced that the Russian Grand Prix, scheduled for September 25 in Sochi, would not go ahead, sources told The Times that European football’s governing body will also cut ties with one of their main commercial backers in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Gazprom has sponsored the Champions League as well as international competitions since 2012, agreeing a new three-year, £40 million-a-season contract last May. But it is understood Gazprom advertising boards will not be visible by the time the Champions League resumes on March 8, when Liverpool meet Inter Milan in one of two round-of-16 encounters that evening.
The matter was discussed at an emergency meeting of Uefa’s executive committee this morning, when the decision was made to change the venue of the Champions League final on May 28.
Matches in European competition will not be held in Russia or Ukraine while conflict continues. Uefa will also launch an evacuation plan for more than 50 professional players who are in Ukraine.
The choice of Stade de France in Paris for the Champions League final on May 28 comes after Uefa considered several alternatives including London, Munich and Istanbul, who are all due to hold the final in the next three years. Giving it to France could also be seen as a reward for Paris Saint-Germain not being part of last year’s failed European Super League project.
The European governing body said in a statement last night: “Uefa shares the international community’s significant concern for the security situation developing in Europe and strongly condemns the ongoing Russian military invasion in Ukraine.
“We remain resolute in our solidarity with the football community in Ukraine and stand ready to extend our hand to the Ukrainian people.”
The sporting world has turned on Russia. In addition to the Champions League final being moved, the Russian Grand Prix has been cancelled with Turkey in line to replace it, while Manchester United are poised to terminate their contract with Aeroflot after the state-owned airline was banned from the UK.
