FIFA Rejects Russia’s Appeal To Freeze Ban Ahead Of 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier Against Poland

Russia’s men’s national football team were scheduled to play Poland in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers on Thursday. ??

Updated on: 19 March 2022 3:44 am

FIFA's decision comes after a similar CAS refusal to freeze UEFA’s ban on Russian football teams.

Russia’s request to freeze a FIFA ban on their football teams ahead of next week’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoffs was denied Friday. (More Football News)

FIFA said the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed the Russian football federation’s bid for an urgent interim ruling to freeze the ban pending a full appeal, which could come within weeks.

The CAS decision means Russia will not be able to play Poland in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying on Thursday. The latest ruling follows a similar CAS refusal on Tuesday to freeze UEFA’s ban on Russian national and club teams in European soccer.

Russian athletes have been banned from competing in multiple sports because of the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Belarusian athletes have also been banned because their country has been an ally of Russia.

The Russian football federation could still get the FIFA ban overturned before another round of international games in early June. A Russian victory at CAS could then force this month’s playoffs to be replayed.

Ukraine are also in the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoffs, and their scheduled game on Thursday against Scotland was postponed by FIFA until June. Ukraine or Scotland will advance to face either Wales or Austria — who play in Cardiff next week — with a place at this year’s World Cup in Qatar at stake.