ATHENS, Greece — The 2018 Champions League final will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv.
UEFA executive committee member Frantisek Laurinec confirmed the decision Thursday, ending year-long negotiations.
Ukraine will host UEFA’s highest profile club match less than a month before the 2018 World Cup kicks off in neighbouring Russia.
Russia annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine in early 2014.
UEFA has blocked Russian and Ukrainian national and club teams being drawn together in competitions since July 2014.
Laurinec, from Slovakia, leads a UEFA panel liaising between Russia and Ukraine on football issues.
One barrier to awarding the 2018 final to Kyiv had been potential visa problems for Russian officials and guests from Champions League sponsor Gazprom.
