UEFA advises on Friday
The football associations of Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic have reacted in a statement to the attack by Russian troops on Ukraine and announced that the upcoming playoff games for the 2022 World Cup will not be played on Russian soil. The semi-final between Poland and Russia is scheduled for March 24 in Moscow, the winner of the match meets the winner between Sweden and the Czech Republic five days later and would have gone home.
“Due to the alarming situation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, where security cannot be guaranteed, the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which are scheduled to take place on March 24-29, cannot be played on Russian territory. The signatories to this complaint have no intention of traveling to Russia,” read a statement published on social media channels on Thursday, signed by the respective secretaries-general.
OŚWIADCZENIE FEDERACJI PIŁKARSKICH POLSKI, SZWECJI I CZECH. Wiecej… https://t.co/fkNXQJIseH pic.twitter.com/Tc9o5POp02
— PZPN (@pzpn_pl) February 24, 2022
In addition, the associations demanded an immediate response from FIFA and UEFA to find alternative ways to host the matches. UEFA had previously announced an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee on Friday morning at 10 a.m. There should be decided on further steps in relation to the World Cup playoffs as well as the Champions League final scheduled for May 28 in St. Petersburg. Various media had recently unanimously reported that the final of the “premier class” would be moved to another location, UEFA has not yet confirmed this.
Russia boycott by Poland & Co.: FIFA boss Infantino reacts
Update 6:52 p.m.: FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the evening after a council meeting of the world governing body: “We are in contact with the associations that still have to play these qualifiers. With the Russian Federation and the others. We are analyzing the situation. At the moment we are continuing to monitor the situation.” The Council Bureau, FIFA’s advisory committee, will take care of the issue and “will make decisions as soon as it is necessary”.
Infantino condemned “the use of force by Russia in Ukraine” on behalf of the world association. The 51-year-old said: “We woke up today and were shocked by what we saw and experienced. FIFA hopes that the violent conflict will end quickly and that there will be peace in Ukraine.” Violence is “never the solution”. Football is not a priority in such a situation, but FIFA is the global body of football, the organization that deals with the consequences for football.
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