UEFA ban second club from Europe as statement issued

UEFA have issued a statement confirming a second club has been banned from Europe next season.

Last month, UEFA moved to suspend Azerbaijani PFK Turan Tovuz from participating in the Conference League due to historical match-fixing relating to seven players being suspended by the country's football federation (AFFA) for their involvement.

Upon learning of the verdict, the club announced they would take the necessary "legal steps” by appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the hope of getting the suspension overturned.

But on Thursday, UEFA released a statement on a second club being banned from participating in European competition in 2026/27.

In a similar case, Czech outfit MFK Karvina have been booted out of the Europa League, UEFA's secondary club competition.

They had qualified as winners of the domestic cup, earning a spot in the Europa League play-offs.

But they have been found guilty of involvement in influencing matches and have been kicked out of the competition as a result.

The decision means there has been a significant reshuffle in which Czech sides will play in Europe.

A UEFA statement said: "On 2 July 2026, the UEFA Appeals Body decided to declare MFK Karviná ineligible to participate in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League for failing to fulfil the admission criterion required by Article 4.01(g) of the Regulations of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League, i.e. for being directly and/or indirectly involved in activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of matches at national level.

"On the same day, in consideration of the above UEFA Appeals Body decision, the UEFA Emergency Panel decided that, in accordance with the relevant admission provisions of the competition regulations, the access of Czech clubs to the 2026/27 UEL and UECL shall be adjusted."

With MFK Karvina out, Viktoria Plzen will be promoted to the Europa League play-offs.

Hradec Kralove will take their place in the Europa League second qualifying round main path and will take on Norwegian side Tromso.

Finally, FK Jablonec will now come up against NK Varazdin in the Conference League second qualifying main path.