A long exposure shows FIFA’s logo near its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland February 27, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
February 28, 2022
By Simon Evans
(Reuters) -FIFA is set to suspend Russia’s national teams from international football until further notice due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine, a source with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters on Monday.
FIFA is in advanced talks with European soccer body UEFA over the matter and a decision could be made later on Monday.
European governing body UEFA is due to hold a meeting at 1800 CET on Monday to decide on several issues relating to Russian football.
Russia are scheduled to host Poland in a World Cup qualifying playoff on March 24 and if they remained suspended at that time, they would be out of the World Cup.
The Polish FA had said that they will refuse to play against the Russian team.
The suspension would cover all Russian national teams — the women’s team are due to play in UEFA’s Euro 2022 competition in England in July.
Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbour’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.
(Reporting by Simon Evans; editing by John Stonestreet)
