The Russian national team therefore has a good chance of not playing in Qatar next winter (November 21 – December 18). The ‘Sbornaya’, as it is nicknamed, is indeed supposed to compete in the play-offs to qualify for the competition at the end of March.
Poland, its opponent in the first round of the play-offs on March 24, had already announced its refusal to face Russia. The Czech Republicthat and Sweden, potential adversaries of the Russians in the event of success against Poland, had also taken the same decision.
Vu the short time that separates this announcement from FIFA and UEFA from this crucial meeting for the World Cup, it is therefore highly unlikely that this (these) risk meeting(s) will take place. Which means, de facto, an exclusion of Russia from the next World Cup.
Host of the 2018 World Cup, Russia now finds itself sportingly isolated while the International Olympic Committee has recommended that sports federations exclude Russian and Belarusian representatives from all international competitions.
In the Europa League, Spartak Moscow – the last Russian representative in the competition – will probably not face Leipzig on March 10 in the round of 16.
In addition, UEFA has decided to break its contract with the gas giant Gazprom, one of its main sponsors.
