FIFA, UEFA suspend Russia from all international football competitions
Russia has been banned from all international football competitions until further notice amid its invasion of Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA announced on Monday in a joint statement.
FIFA and UEFA suspend Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions.
Full statement: ⬇️
— UEFA (@UEFA) February 28, 2022
The suspension means Russia will not partake in the World Cup qualification playoffs or in the men’s tournament itself in Qatar later this year. Russia was due to meet Poland in a playoff semifinal on March 24.
Russia will also not be involved in this summer’s European Women’s Championship. The ruling applies to club teams, too, with Spartak Moscow now expelled from the Europa League after reaching the round of 16.
❌ 🇷🇺 FA are urging UEFA and FIFA to ban Russia from the upcoming men's World Cup and women's European Championship.
[via @RobDorsettSky] pic.twitter.com/6QFs90cfJi
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 28, 2022
“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine,” read the joint statement from FIFA and UEFA. “Both presidents (Gianni Infantino and Aleksander Ceferin) 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 has today decided to end its partnership with Gazprom across all competitions.
The decision is effective immediately and covers all existing agreements including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA national team competitions and UEFA EURO 2024.
— UEFA (@UEFA) February 28, 2022
The Football Union of Russia said it “reserves the right to challenge the decision of FIFA and UEFA in accordance with international sports law,” according to the Associated Press. Sanctions levied by FIFA and UEFA have often been appealed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.