For anyone keeping an eye on football results, especially in European competitions, a missing match certainly raised eyebrows this Wednesday. The Women’s Europe Cup tie between Minsk FK and PSV Eindhoven, set for the first leg of the second qualifying round, simply didn’t happen. The reason behind it is quite a story, and perhaps not so surprising after all.
The Belarusian side, Minsk FK, was technically the home team for this clash. They were supposed to face PSV Eindhoven at 6 PM at the De Herdgang Sports Complex. But the game was called off because of a direct decision from the Dutch government. Reports from the newspaper Eindhovens Dagblad (ED) explained it clearly. David van Weel, the Dutch Foreign Minister, refused to give visas to the Minsk FK delegation. This meant the team couldn’t enter the Netherlands to play their match. The official reason cited security concerns, directly linked to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. According to the same source, the Dutch government saw Belarus as an ally of Russia, leading to the decision to deny the Belarusian club entry.
This unexpected turn of events means the match-up between Minsk FK and PSV Eindhoven will now be decided by just one game. That decisive match is scheduled for next Thursday, the 16th. It will take place on neutral ground. The ED also reported that Tirana, the capital of Albania, has been chosen as the venue for this crucial fixture. This change removes a significant advantage for PSV Eindhoven. They would have theoretically played both legs at their home complex, a benefit that would have helped them in their push for a spot in the last-16 of this new European club competition for women.