Fifteen ECA member clubs have been awarded grants to help with humanitarian projects ©Getty Images

The European Club Association's (ECA) Ukraine Relief Committee has agreed to financially assist 15 member football clubs seeking to help displaced children and families impacted by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The Ukraine Relief Committee was set up to review applications from clubs that have created projects and humanitarian actions to support the people of Ukraine.

ECA chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who sits on the UEFA Executive Committee, announced in March during the organisation's General Assembly in Austria that €1 million (£848,000/$1 million) would be allocated to a Ukraine relief fund.

The 15 clubs are set to receive donations of between €25,000 (£21,200/$25,100) and €50,000 (£42,400/$50,100) each following approval from the ECA Ukraine Relief Committee and the UEFA Foundation for Children.

The combined amount comes to €680,000 (£577,000/$683,000), leaving €320,000 (£272,000/$321,000) still to be distributed.

Sparta Prague, Slavia Prague and Slovan Liberec of the Czech Republic, Athletic Club from Spain, Scotland's Celtic and Heart of Midlothian, Georgian side FC Chikhura Sachkhere, Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk, Dinamo Zagreb from Croatia, Polish outfit Legia Warsaw, Maccaibi Haifa from Israel, Turkey's Trabzonspor, Slovakia's Slovan Bratislava, SJK Seinäjoki in Finland and Nõmme Kalju from Estonia are the 15 clubs.

The ECA is due to make another appeal at its upcoming General Assembly on September 22 and 23 in Istanbul.

"At ECA we are all extremely concerned by the realities of hardship being suffered by the many refugees fleeing the tragic situation in Ukraine," Dariusz Mioduski, ECA vice-chairman and chairman of the Ukraine Relief Committee, said.

The ECA donations are to go towards helping children and families impacted by the war in Ukraine ©Getty Images
The ECA donations are to go towards helping children and families impacted by the war in Ukraine ©Getty Images

"I am very pleased therefore that our Ukraine Relief Committee was able to approve a total of 15 projects proposed to us by member clubs who will now receive the requested financial donations.

"This assistance will allow them to continue their good work in supporting displaced Ukrainian children and families, bringing them much needed assistance, human interaction and hope for the future.

"There is still a substantial amount left in the ECA Relief Fund and we expect a second call for projects from member clubs to be made in the near future."

UEFA, as well as FIFA, has suspended Russian national teams from its international competitions in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

It meant the country was prohibited from playing at the Women's European Championship this year and could not compete in a playoff for the men's World Cup.

Russian clubs are also banned from featuring in UEFA's club competitions, including the Champions League and Women's Champions League, for the 2022-2023 season.