FIFA and UEFA ban Russia from all games as war rages in Ukraine

28 February 2022, 17:43 | Updated: 28 February 2022, 19:06

FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russia from all competitions
FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russia from all competitions. Picture: Alamy

By Megan Hinton

FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions, amid Putin's invasion into Ukraine.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Continental bosses UEFA and global governors FIFA have made the joint decision on a temporary expulsion for Russia from all club and national fixtures.

The Russian men's team will not play in the World Cup play-off matches in March and the women's team have been banned from the European Championship in summer.

Both UEFA and FIFA have removed Russia from all fixtures until "football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people".

A joint FIFA and UEFA statement on Monday evening said: "Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which envisaged the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice.

Read more: Shell announces plans to ditch $3bn investment in Russian gas firm Gazprom

Read more: 'It's all we can do': Donations pile high as hundreds of Londoners rally round Ukraine

Truss: 'Putin must lose'

"Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine.

"These decisions were adopted today by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the Executive Committee of UEFA, respectively the highest decision-making bodies of both institutions on such urgent matters.

"Both Presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people."

UEFA also announced the end of its sponsorship with Russian energy giant Gazprom, worth around £34million a season, following in oil giant Shell's footsteps.

Footage shows 'cluster munition' detonations in Kharkiv

Read more: Putin resorts to banned 'cluster bombs' to slaughter civilians in Ukraine’s second city

Read more: FIFA and UEFA ban Russia from all games as war rages in Ukraine

In a separate statement, the governing body said: "UEFA has today decided to end its partnership with Gazprom across all competitions," read a UEFA statement.

"The decision is effective immediately and covers all existing agreements including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA national team competitions and UEFA EURO 2024."

Poland previously threatened over the weekend to boycott a match scheduled for Thursday, March 24 in Moscow, in support of Ukraine.

It comes after the International Olympic Committee recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials are banned from any competitions.

Spartak Moscow's removal from the Europa League will hand RB Leipzig direct progression into the European second-tier competition's quarter-finals.

Formula One's governing body is set to stage an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the crisis in Ukraine.

It is understood that the future of F1's sole Russian driver Nikita Mazepin is set to top the agenda.

The president of the the Automobile Federation of Ukraine, Leonid Kostyuchenk, has demanded the FIA bans all Russian and Belarusian drivers from competing outside of their own countries.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who will chair Tuesday's summit, wrote to Kostyuchenk last week to offer his full support.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Coleen Rooney said her husband Wayne has not been forgiven in the court of public opinion

Coleen Rooney opens up on Wayne's 'difficult' mistakes as she says he hasn't been forgiven in court of public opinion

Many of the victims were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel

Laos hostel owner arrested after Brit lawyer becomes fifth tourist to die in 'poisoning'

Breaking
Holly Bowles, 19, from Melbourne, has died in the ‘methanol mass poisoning’

Sixth person dies in Laos ‘methanol mass poisoning’ as hostel owner detained by police

Exclusive
Feargal Sharkey tests the River Test with LBC

'We're destroying what should be the finest river on Earth': Feargal Sharkey tests the River Test with LBC

Household energy bills will rise again from January

Household energy bills to rise by £21 a year from January in further blow for Brits this winter

Putin issued a chilling threat to the West as he confirmed Russia launched a ballistic missile against Ukraine

'The world must respond': Zelenskyy warns that Putin is 'testing' the West after confirmed use of new ballistic missile

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Donald Trump nominates Pam Bondi for attorney general hours after Matt Gaetz withdraws

Starmer has backed the International Criminal Court over its arrest warrant for Netanyahu

Netanyahu faces arrest if he travels to Britain as Starmer vows to enforce International Criminal Court warrant

Yvette Cooper has branded the Rwanda scheme a "complete con."

Yvette Cooper to crack down on anti-social behaviour with new 'respect orders' as repeat offenders face jail time

King Charles III And Queen Camilla on Coronation Day

King Charles' coronation cost taxpayer £72 million, report reveals

Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City

Pep Guardiola signs two-year contract extension with Manchester City

Captain Tom's Daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore

Behaviour at Captain Tom charity left ex-boss 'gobsmacked'

Armed robbers attempted to break into the star's Sunderland home.

Masked machete-wielding robbers break into Charlotte Crosby's home while she is upstairs with two-year-old daughter

Police have released new CCTV of Harshita Brella and her husband

Chilling CCTV released of Harshita Brella and prime murder suspect husband on night she was killed

First photos of Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special as James Corden and Ruth Jones mark triumphant finale

First photos of Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special as James Corden and Ruth Jones mark show's triumphant finale

King Charles performs a Hongi, a traditional Maori greeting, with Mere Takoko

King Charles shares traditional Maori nose rub greeting with activist as he launches environmental charity