FIFA announces Russia will play as RFU in World Cup qualifying; won't be banned yet

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Russia won’t be eliminated from World Cup qualifying just yet, however, FIFA announced on Sunday that the squad will play using the "RFU" acronym for the country’s soccer federation.

The FIFA Bureau – which features the six regional soccer confederation presidents – also ruled that the Russian flag and national anthem won’t be associated with the team when they get back on the field.

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Russia's Fedor Smolov watches during the World Cup 2022 group H qualifying soccer match against Cyprus at GSP stadium in Nicosia, Cyprus, Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021. (Danil Shamkin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

FIFA also said the RFU team won’t be allowed to play home games. They can only play on neutral sites and without any fans in attendance.

"FIFA will continue its ongoing dialogue with the IOC, UEFA and other sport organizations to determine any additional measures or sanctions," FIFA said in a statement, "including a potential exclusion from competitions, that shall be applied in the near future should the situation not be improving rapidly."

Poland is expected to play Russia in a World Cup playoff semifinal on March 24, but the country immediately rejected the decision by FIFA. On Saturday, Poland said it would refuse to play Russia in Moscow. The winner of that match would host Sweden or the Czech Republic on March 29 to decide who advances to the Nov. 21-Dec. 18 World Cup in Qatar.

"Today’s FIFA decision is totally unacceptable," Polish football federation president Cezary Kulesza tweeted. "We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances. Our stance remains intact: Polish National Team will NOT PLAY with Russia, no matter what the name of the team is."

The Czech Republic also said on Sunday that it would refuse to play in Russia.

"The Czech FA executive committee, staff members and players of the national team agreed it’s not possible to play against the Russian national team in the current situation, not even on the neutral venue," the country’s federation said in a statement. "We all want the war to end as soon as possible."

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the 29th AFC Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, April 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

The English Football Association announced that its national teams would not play Russia for the "foreseeable future." Russia already qualified for the Women’s European Championship in June.

"Out of solidarity with the Ukraine and to wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership," the English FA said in a statement.

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A strict reading of FIFA's World Cup regulations would even make the Polish, Swedish and Czech federations liable to disciplinary action and having to pay fines and compensation if they wouldn't play Russia.

In 1992, however, FIFA and UEFA removed Yugoslavia from its competitions following United Nations sanctions imposed when war broke out in the Balkans.

The FIFA Bureau, which is chaired by Gianni Infantino, includes UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.

UEFA on Friday pulled the 2022 Champions League final from St. Petersburg, moving it to Paris, and said Russian and Ukrainian teams in its competitions must play home games in neutral countries. UEFA allowed Spartak Moscow to continue playing in the second-tier Europa League's round of 16.

Fedor Smolov of Russia looks on during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H European qualification football match against Slovakia on Oct. 8, 2021, at Ak Bars Arena in Kazan, Russia. (Mike Kireev/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

As the attack of Ukraine entered a fourth day on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin temporarily lost his most senior official position in world sports. The International Judo Federation cited "the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine" for suspending Putin’s honorary president status.

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The Russian president is a keen judoka and attended the sport at the 2012 London Olympics.

In Putin's other favorite sport, ice hockey, Latvian club Dinamo Riga withdrew Sunday from the Russian-owned and run Kontinental Hockey League citing the "military and humanitarian crisis."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.