UEFA Banned Five Clubs from Competing in the Champions League
- UEFA has issued Champions League bans to multiple teams over the years for offenses such as match-fixing and financial irregularities
- One club received a historic 10-year ban and a hefty fine following disciplinary violations during a European fixture
- Teams from an entire country were barred from European competitions for five years due to a stadium tragedy that led to multiple fatalities
Five teams have been banned from taking part in the UEFA Champions League or European Cup at various points in the tournament’s history.
The UEFA Champions League remains the pinnacle of club football, with top sides across Europe battling for glory each season.
Real Madrid lead the all-time winners list with a record 15 titles, followed by AC Milan with seven.
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Paris Saint-Germain claimed their maiden crown in dominant fashion, thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in the 2024/25 final in Munich.
With the 2025/26 campaign now underway, Rangers are set to face Viktoria Plzen in the third qualifying round on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, defending champions PSG look to retain their title, with traditional powerhouses like Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool expected to challenge deep into the competition.
Clubs that were banned from UEFA Competition
While many clubs dream of lifting the trophy, a few have had the opportunity snatched away due to serious violations.
Five clubs have been banned from the UEFA Champions League in the tournament’s history.
In 2013, Turkish side Besiktas were banned from UEFA competitions over involvement in match-fixing, a sanction upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
That same year, fellow Turkish giants Fenerbahce received a three-year ban for similar offenses, with their CAS appeal also unsuccessful.
Italian powerhouse Juventus, two-time European champions, were excluded from UEFA competition for the 2023/24 season.
UEFA found them guilty of breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations between 2012 and 2019.
North Macedonian outfit FK Pobeda received a staggering eight-year UEFA ban in 2009 for match-fixing, a decision that was also upheld by CAS.
The club’s president at the time, Aleksandar Zabrcanec, was handed a lifetime ban by UEFA.
According to the BBC, in July 2025, Montenegrin club FK Arsenal Tivat were banned for ten years and fined €500,000 after an investigation into alleged violations of UEFA’s Disciplinary Regulations during a match against Alashkert FC in July 2023.
The Heysel disaster and England’s European ban
One of the darkest days in European football led to the most sweeping UEFA ban in history.
Following the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985, which resulted in the deaths of 39 fans during the European Cup final between Juventus and Liverpool, UEFA imposed a five-year ban on all English clubs from competing in European competitions.
Liverpool, whose fans were found responsible for the tragedy, were banned for an additional year, not returning to European football until 1991.
Why Chelsea could be banned from Champions League
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Chelsea risk being banned from the Champions League unless they agree to a UEFA demand.
Source: YEN.com.gh
