FIFA and UEFA suspend Russia from international football after home game ban

FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russia's national teams from international football until further notice due to the country's invasion of Ukraine.

The move makes it likely that Russia will be excluded from this year's men's World Cup in Qatar, starting in November, and the women's Euro 2020 tournament in July.

«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,» UEFA said in a statement.

«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.»

FIFA was criticised on Monday (AEDT), after a statement that Russia could continue to play matches albeit in neutral venues and only under the name «Football Union of Russia».

Although FIFA had warned the country could be excluded from competitions if the situation in Ukraine did not improve, the statement was widely criticised with the Polish FA saying the stance was «totally unacceptable».

England's Football Association then said that they would not play against Russia, a view that was backed up by several European federations.

Russia were scheduled to host Poland in a World Cup qualifying play-off on March 24 and if they remain suspended at that time, they would be out of the World Cup and unable to progress to the finals.

Prominent Russian athletes are making it clear they are against the war in Ukraine, but there are still calls to ban them from international competitions as a result of their government's misdeeds, writes Tracey Holmes.

The Polish FA already said they would refuse to