OFFICIAL: FIFA announces Poland given bye to Path B final in WCQ after Russian ban
Match between Scotland and Ukraine to be rescheduled for June.
Poland given bye to Path B final, where they will play either Sweden or Czech Republic.
Decisions taken after consultation with UEFA and participating FIFA member associations.
Today, the Bureau of the FIFA Organising Committee took key decisions in relation to the European play-off matches for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, following consultation with UEFA and the participating FIFA member associations.
i) Postponement of Scotland v. Ukraine in Path A
On 3 March 2022, the Ukrainian Association of Football wrote to FIFA requesting that its qualification match(es) be rescheduled owing to the impossibility of organising both the travel and training of a team under the current circumstances.
Following consultation with UEFA and the four participating member associations in Path A of the European qualifying play-offs, it was unanimously agreed in the spirit of solidarity to accept this request. The match between Scotland and Ukraine, initially scheduled for 24 March 2022, will now be postponed to the existing June window, and consequently, the match between the winners of Scotland v. Ukraine and Wales v. Austria will also be postponed to the same window.
It was further agreed that the match between Wales and Austria will remain as scheduled on 24 March 2022, owing to the need to limit the disruption to the competitive matches already scheduled for the June window in what is an already congested calendar.
Alternative fixtures for affected teams in the March window are being explored by the relevant parties. Similarly, the details of the rescheduled fixtures will be announced in due course and the international match calendar window of June will be adapted as necessary for the teams concerned once these details have been finalised.
ii) Poland bye to the final in Path B
In addition, subsequent to the decision of 28 February 2022 taken jointly with the UEFA Executive Committee to suspend all Russian teams from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice, the Bureau of the FIFA Organising Committee decided that Poland will receive a bye to the final of Path B due to take place on 29 March 2022, in which they will face the winners of the match between Sweden and the Czech Republic.
Lo’le
623
where was fifa when iraq was invaded. when Libya was invaded? syria? mali? Afghanistan?. double standards at its best. let football stand alone from world politics.
TemajungMichaelT
566
I say No to War but I stand with Putin to do what must be done for Russia's safety....
Bopabdknor
455
now i understand Putin is right.... Africans we stand with Putin
Martinez04
413
We shall see 😎
khaleepherD/zaki
308
Sad True 😢💔
Bobbynash
295
This is dirty politics in football. I still remember how Ryhad Mahrez was criticized for holding a Palestine flag when Israel invaded them. So many countries have been banned for allowing government involvement in football matters. This is clear evidence that all these international bodies are serving the interest of European countries only. However, time changes as they say….
FilbertMwanyika
208
FIFA are the failure, how this ban can affect Russia, do they real think that ban Russia team can turn Putin to stop war with Ukraine?.... useless decision with no any impact
Mannexio11
183
Double standards from a shameful world body so called 'representing football'. Why wasn't America banned when they hit Iraq, Libya and others. Just shameful, the lot of you. I'm not protesting them banning Russia, but definitely protesting their inconsistencies and open bias system
emuobokelvin
35
After the famous "False 9" position in football, Harry Maguire has invented a new position called "False 5"