NYON, Switzerland — A Macedonian soccer team has been banned from European play for eight years because its president and a former player fixed the outcome of a Champions League game in a betting coup.

FK Pobeda team president Aleksandar Zabrcanec and former captain Nikolce Zdravevski received lifetime bans from all soccer activities in Europe. European soccer's ruling body made its ruling after a seven-hour hearing Friday.

The panel said the club president and ex-captain made sure Pobeda lost a Champions League qualifying game against the Armenian club Pyunik in 2004. Pobeda lost 3-1 in the first leg at home after going three goals down in the first half. Pobeda lost 4-2 on total goals.