UEFA orders Belarusian clubs and national teams to play home games at neutral venues

Belarusian teams have been ordered to play their home matches in UEFA competitions at neutral venues with immediate effect following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

European football’s governing body also announced on Thursday that spectators will not be allowed to attend games in which teams from Belarus are nominally the hosts.

Belarus has been used as a staging post for a Russia invasion of Ukraine that was ordered by president Vladimir Putin last week.

A UEFA statement said: “The UEFA executive committee met today and decided that all Belarusian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues with immediate effect.

“Furthermore, no spectators shall attend matches in which the teams from Belarus feature as host.

“The UEFA executive committee will 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.”

All Belarusian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues with immediate effect.

Furthermore, no spectators shall attend matches in which the teams from Belarus feature as host.

— UEFA (@UEFA) March 3, 2022

FIFA and UEFA on Monday banned Russian teams from club and international competitions until further notice.

Earlier on Thursday, athletes from Russia and Belarus were banned from the 2022 Winter Olympics following a U-turn by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Russia is set to appeal against that decision.

The IPC had announced on Wednesday that the two nations were set to compete in Beijing, albeit under the Paralympic flag and without being included in the medal table.

That was despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) calling for athletes from Russia and Belarus to be prevented from taking part in all international sporting competitions.

However, just a day before the Games are due to begin, the IPC reversed its decision amid fierce backlash and threats of boycotts.