
FIFA, on Sunday, allowed Russia to play upcoming competitive games in neutral places and under the name of the Football Union of Russia (RFU). However, if the situation in Ukraine does not improve, Russia will be banned from competitions.
Although FIFA asked Russia to play games in a neutral venue, no country would be willing to host the Russians. Many nations announced they will not play against Russia, including England and Wales, as well as Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden.
Poland was set to face Russia in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers in March. However, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and FIFA’s stance against them, Polish Football Association president Cezary Kulesza said FIFA’s decision was “totally unacceptable”. “We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances. Our stance remains intact: Polish National Team will not play with Russia, no matter what the name of the team is,” he said as PTI reports.
Following this, several other football associations also slammed FIFA. Swedish Football Association president, Karl-Erik Nilsson, told Fotbollskanalen they were “not satisfied” with FIFA’s stance.
The Czech Republic and Sweden, who might face Russia in the qualifiers, said they would not play against Russia. FIFA said it would team up with other sports organizations and come up with a solution for these three countries. This stance taken by FIFA could be a warning to Russia before they are expelled from the World Cup, and not its final stance.