REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: PFK Turan Tovuz has been deemed ineligible to participate in the UEFA Conference league next year. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

PFK Turan Tovuz have been declared ineligible to participate in next season’s Conference ​League after European football’s governing body UEFA ruled ‌on Wednesday that the Azerbaijani club was ​involved in activities aimed at ⁠influencing match outcomes.

The UEFA Appeals Body chair stated Turan Tovuz had failed to meet admission criteria for “being directly ‌and/or indirectly involved in activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of ‌a match at national or international ‌level.”

The ⁠ruling comes after Turan Tovuz finished third ⁠in Azerbaijan’s top flight, which would normally have secured their qualification for the Conference League qualifying rounds.

The club ​said the decision was ‌based on a 2019 disciplinary case where seven of the club’s players were banned from all football-related activities for match-fixing by the ‌country’s soccer governing body (AFFA).

“In the 2025-26 ​season, we finished the season in third place, following all sporting principles, and ⁠earned the right to play in the Conference League, which we are entitled to,” the club ‌said in a statement.

“The UEFA Disciplinary Committee conducted an investigation into whether our club met the criteria.

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“It should be noted that the AFFA Disciplinary Committee banned seven players of our team, who played in the I ‌Division in the 2019-20 season, from all football-related activities.”

The club ​said it would take “all legal steps” and appeal to the Court of ⁠Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to change UEFA’s decision and ensure ⁠their participation in the Conference League.

“There are no changes in our preparation plans ‌for the Conference League,” the club added.

“This month, the team members will gather and ​go to Turkey for a training camp.”

Published on Jun 03, 2026