FIFA Announces Russia Must Play Games in Neutral Venue Without Fans, Flag

It will not allow Russia to host the World Cup qualifier semifinals next month.

FIFA has announced that the Russian soccer team will not be allowed to host any games and will have to play home games in neutral sites without fans, a flag or performing the national anthem.

“To address football-related matters and in coordination with UEFA, the Bureau of the FIFA Council—involving the FIFA President and the six Confederation Presidents—has unanimously decided to take immediate first measures, in line with recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and that will be applicable until further notice,” the release said. 

The release bullet-points several measures, including no games to be played in Russia, as well as ‘home’ matches having to be played in neutral territory without fans. These games will not include Russian flags or anthems. 

The team will also have to participate under the name ‘Football Union of Russia (RFU),’ not Russia. 

The decision is a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia was set to host the World Cup qualifying playoff against Poland next month in Moscow (and if it won, the final against either Sweden or the Czech Republic), but those three countries announced they will not play games against Russia on Sunday.

Multiple Polish soccer players already came out in support of their team’s boycott of their semifinals match.

According to the New York Times’ Tariq Panja, if Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, FIFA will consider banning Russia completely from any competition.

The punishment could be expanded to an all out ban if Russia continues its operations in Ukraine, we are told. https://t.co/z9Nk8j56q6

— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) February 27, 2022

The English Football Administration also announced it will not play any soccer games vs. Russia, which includes the Women’s Euros that Russia is scheduled to participate in this summer.

New: English FA say they won't play any matches against Russia in any international games "for the foreseeable future."
Russia are due to participate in the Women's European Championship in July hosted by England pic.twitter.com/bCXYhPzGzU

— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) February 27, 2022

UEFA has also acted in response, announcing it moved the 2022 Champions League final from St. Petersburg, Russia to Paris this May.

Per the release, FIFA will continue its conversations with UEFA, IOC and other sports organizations about additional responses and sanctions. 

“FIFA strongly believes that the sport movement should be united in its decisions on this topic and that sport should continue being a vector of peace and hope.”