MOSCOW, 28 Feb. The International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) have suspended Russian teams and clubs from participating in all international competitions, according to their joint statement published on the FIFA website. These decisions were made by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee — the highest decision-making bodies of both organizations to address urgent issues.
"FIFA and UEFA have jointly decided that all Russian teams, whether national teams or clubs, will be suspended from participation in all international tournaments until further notice. Football is fully united and in solidarity with all the victims in Ukraine. Both presidents (Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA, and Gianni Infantino, FIFA. — Ed.) hope that the situation in Ukraine will quickly improve so that football can again become a vector of unity and peace between people", the message says.< /p> The Russian men's national football team was supposed to play on March 24 in Moscow with the Polish team in the semi-finals of the play-off tournament for reaching the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Russian women's team was supposed to take part in the European Championship, which will be held from July 6 to 31 in England. In addition, Spartak Moscow was supposed to meet with Leipzig in the 1/8 finals of the Europa League. The first meeting was scheduled for March 10 in Germany, the return was supposed to take place on March 17.