FIFA, UEFA expel Russia from international competitions
The slogan "Football stands together" is seen on a huge screen before the English Carabao Cup final between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Wembley in London, Britain, Feb. 27, 2022. (EPA Photo)


FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russian teams from international competitions until further notice due to the country's invasion of Ukraine.

The move makes it likely that Russia will be excluded from this year's World Cup and the women's Euro 2020 tournament.

"FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice," they said in a statement.

"Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine," they noted.

Russia was scheduled to host Poland in a World Cup qualifying playoff on March 24 and if they remain suspended at that time, they would be out of the World Cup and unable to progress to the finals in Qatar in November.

The Polish FA had said that they will refuse to play against the Russian team and the Czech Republic and Sweden, who are on the same playoff "path," have also ruled out facing Russia.

The only way Russia could still feature in the playoffs would be a sudden improvement in the situation in Ukraine leading to a lifting of the suspension.

"Both Presidents (of the soccer bodies) hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people," UEFA said.

The organization said a further decision would be made at a later date about the impact on the women's Euro 2022 tournament in England in July, which Russia has qualified for.

UEFA also ended its sponsorship with Russian energy giant Gazprom.

The decision means that Spartak Moscow will not play their Europa League match against RB Leipzig and so the German club will advance to the quarter-finals.

Earlier on Monday, the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) executive board recommended that international sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from competing in events.

FIFA had been criticized on Sunday after a statement that Russia could continue to play matches albeit in neutral venues and only under the name "Football Union of Russia."

Although FIFA had warned the country could be excluded from competitions if the situation in Ukraine did not improve, the statement was widely criticized with the Polish FA saying the stance was "totally unacceptable."

England's Football Association then said that they would not play against Russia, a view that was backed up by a number of European federations.

Russia hosted the last World Cup in 2018 with the final held in Moscow attended by President Vladimir Putin.