No Entry: Five Clubs UEFA banned from competing in the Champions League

Femi Fabunmi

The UEFA Champions League is considered the most prestigious trophy in club football, but for a select few clubs, participation has been denied due to serious rule violations.

Over the years, five clubs have been officially banned from Europe’s top competition by UEFA, each case involving misconduct ranging from match-fixing to financial breaches.

1. Beşiktaş (Turkey) – 2013

In 2013, Turkish club Beşiktaş were banned from UEFA competitions following their involvement in match-fixing. The decision came after an investigation, and the club’s one-year suspension was later upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), confirming UEFA’s disciplinary action.

2. Fenerbahçe (Turkey) – 2013

Fenerbahçe, another major Istanbul club, received a three-year European ban in the same year. Also accused of match-fixing, their appeal to CAS was unsuccessful. The case dealt a heavy blow to Turkish football’s reputation at the time.

3. Juventus (Italy) – 2023/24

Italian giants Juventus were excluded from UEFA competitions for the 2023/24 season after breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. UEFA found the club had committed violations between 2012 and 2019, resulting in the ban that saw them miss out on European football despite their on-pitch performances.

4. FK Pobeda (North Macedonia) – 2009

FK Pobeda became the first club to receive an extended ban from UEFA for match-fixing. In 2009, they were barred for eight years due to fixing a Champions League qualifying match in 2004. CAS upheld UEFA’s sanction, and the then-club president Aleksandar Zabrcanec received a lifetime ban.

5. FK Arsenal Tivat (Montenegro) – 2025

Most recently, Montenegrin side FK Arsenal Tivat were hit with a 10-year ban from all UEFA competitions in July 2025. The punishment followed a probe into disciplinary breaches during a 2023 fixture against Alashkert FC. In addition to the decade-long suspension, the club was fined €500,000.

These incidents highlight UEFA’s zero-tolerance stance on integrity breaches in European football. While rare, such bans send a clear message to clubs across the continent: off-pitch behavior matters just as much as on-pitch results.