All 36 clubs competing in the UEFA Champions League this week will observe a minute's silence before kick-off in tribute to the victims of the catastrophic flash floods that struck Nepal and the surrounding region.

The gesture, reported by journalist Henry Winter, will be accompanied by banners displayed inside stadiums bearing the message: "You are not alone, Nepal." UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin confirmed the tribute, stating that "the entire European football family will stand together before this week's matches to express our deepest condolences and our support to the people of Nepal."

"We wish them strength and resilience as they continue to recover from this tragedy and its aftermath," Ceferin added.

Scale of the disaster

The floods, believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse, have left a trail of devastation across the Nepal-Tibet border region. Nepalese authorities estimate that at least 1,355 people were killed, with more than 5,000 still unaccounted for. In Tibet, over 500 remain missing.

On September 7, Nepal observed a national day of mourning for the dead. Candlelit vigils were held across the country on Monday evening, as rescue teams continued to search for survivors. Monday also marked the end of the traditional 13-day Hindu mourning period.

In a remarkable story of survival, a 64-year-old Nepali woman was pulled alive from her buried home in the Nuwakot district — more than 10 days after it had been submerged beneath floodwaters.

Raising international awareness

UEFA's decision to feature the minute's silence across all 18 Champions League fixtures this week is intended to sustain global attention on the ongoing humanitarian crisis and support efforts to locate missing survivors.

This match-week features only Champions League fixtures across Europe, with no other continental competitions scheduled. All 36 participating teams will take part in the tribute across the 18 matches on the schedule.

Notably, Premier League and EFL matches played over the preceding weekend did not include a minute's silence for the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States — an event in which 67 British citizens lost their lives.