The football associations of Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic issued a joint statement expressing their refusal to play in Russia during the European World Cup qualifying playoffs scheduled for March. Russia is set to face Poland in Moscow, and the winner will play against either Sweden or the Czech Republic, either in Moscow or Warsaw, depending on the draw, to determine one of the three teams that will qualify for the World Cup in Qatar through the European playoff.
However, this scenario may not proceed as planned, as the associations of Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic refuse to play in Russia "for security reasons" in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began on Thursday. The joint statement from the three associations stated: "Based on the current troubling developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, including the security situation, the football associations of Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic express their firm stance that the World Cup qualifying playoff matches for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scheduled for March 24 and 29, should not be played on the territory of the Russian Federation."
The statement continued: "The signatories to this appeal have no intention of traveling to Russia and playing football matches there. The military escalation we are witnessing has serious consequences and poses much less safety for our national football teams and official delegations."
FIFA commented on the situation between Russia and Ukraine, although it has not yet responded to the request from the three countries. FIFA stated that it "condemns Russia's use of force in Ukraine and any type of violence to resolve disputes," noting that "violence is never a solution, and FIFA calls on all parties to restore peace through constructive dialogue." It added: "FIFA continues to express its solidarity with those affected by this conflict. Regarding football matters in both Ukraine and Russia, the federation will continue to monitor the situation, and updates related to the World Cup qualifiers will be communicated in due course."
