UEFA suspends Turan Tovuz from Conference League participation, club to appeal to CAS
Azerbaijani football club Turan Tovuz announced its suspension from participating in European competitions for the 2026/2027 season.
According to the club's statement, following the 2025/2026 season the team, in compliance with all sporting principles, finished third in the Azerbaijan championship and earned the right to compete in the UEFA Conference League.
However, during the verification of the club's compliance with admission criteria, UEFA decided to suspend Turan Tovuz from participating in tournaments under its auspices in the 2026/2027 season. The decision was made on June 2, 2026, based on the verdict of the AFFA Disciplinary Committee dated December 13, 2019.
The club recalled that in the 2019/2020 season, seven players of the team, which was then playing in the First Division, were banned for life from any football-related activities following an investigation into match-fixing. The AFFA decision was taken as part of efforts to combat fixed matches and violations of the principles of fair competition.
Turan Tovuz stated that it disagrees with UEFA's decision and intends to seek its review.
"Starting today, the club will take all necessary legal steps to overturn the decision and secure our participation in the Conference League, a spot we earned on sporting merit. We will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)," the statement said.
At the same time, the club emphasized that preparations for the new season continue as normal. In the near future, the players will return from vacation and depart for a training camp in Turkey.
It is noted that Turan Tovuz was one of the main revelations of the recently concluded Azerbaijan Premier League season, earning the right to compete in European competitions for the first time in many years. However, UEFA regulations provide for strict sanctions against clubs involved in match-fixing cases and violations of sporting integrity principles. This, according to the club's statement, explains the current decision by the European football governing body.
The final resolution of the dispute may now be determined by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, to which the Azerbaijani club intends to appeal.
