European football's governing body, UEFACompetition·UEFA, has issued sanctions against Ukrainian club Shakhtar DonetskTeam·Shakhtar Donetsk and Cypriot side AEK LarnacaTeam·AEK Larnaca for discriminatory behavior by their fans during the 2025/26 Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League season. The decisions, announced on Tuesday, underscore UEFACompetition·UEFA's firm stance against such conduct in its competitions.
Shakhtar DonetskTeam·Shakhtar Donetsk received a 30,000-euro fine and a partial stadium closure, which has been suspended for a probationary period of two years. This penalty stems from an "illicit banner" displayed by their supporters during the first leg of their Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League semi-final match against Crystal PalaceTeam·Crystal Palace in April. The fixture was played in Krakow, Poland. Additionally, Shakhtar was fined 4,000 euros for the lighting of fireworks during the same encounter.
AEK LarnacaTeam·AEK Larnaca faced a more immediate consequence, incurring a 50,000-euro fine and a partial closure of their stadium for their next UEFACompetition·UEFA club competition home fixture. The Cypriot club's sanction was imposed due to discriminatory chants from their fans during their round-of-16 tie with Crystal PalaceTeam·Crystal Palace in March.
The distinction between the two clubs' stadium closures is notable. Shakhtar DonetskTeam·Shakhtar Donetsk's partial stadium closure is conditional, meaning it will only be activated if a similar offense occurs within the two-year probationary window. In contrast, AEK LarnacaTeam·AEK Larnaca's partial stadium closure will be enforced during their very next home match in a UEFACompetition·UEFA club competition, serving as an immediate deterrent.
Both teams were active participants in the 2025/26 UEFACompetition·UEFA Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League, with Shakhtar DonetskTeam·Shakhtar Donetsk progressing to the semi-finals before their elimination. AEK LarnacaTeam·AEK Larnaca reached the round of 16 in the same competition. Crystal PalaceTeam·Crystal Palace, involved in both incidents, is scheduled to compete in the Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League final against Rayo VallecanoTeam·Rayo Vallecano on May 27 in Leipzig.
Domestically, Shakhtar DonetskTeam·Shakhtar Donetsk has demonstrated strong form, currently leading the Ukrainian Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League with 66 points from 27 matches. AEK LarnacaTeam·AEK Larnaca also holds a strong position, sitting second in the Cypriot First Division with 53 points from 26 matches. These sanctions highlight UEFACompetition·UEFA's ongoing commitment to ensuring a respectful and inclusive environment across all its competitions, regardless of a club's on-field performance.
Crystal Palace fans at a UEFA Conference League semi-final match in London. Photo: Offside Sports Photography/IMAGO
Offside Sports Photography/IMAGOThis article was generated by AI (gemini-2.5-flash). Learn more.
