Governing Bodies
Euro backlash as FIFA refuses to expel Russia from football
FIFA drew a swift backlash from European nations for not immediately expelling Russia from World Cup qualifying on Sunday and only ordering the country to play without its flag and anthem at neutral venues under the name of its federation — the Football Union of Russia.
Protesting against FIFA’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Poland said it would still refuse to play the country in a World Cup playoff semifinal, which is scheduled for March 24.
“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 unanimous ruling by the FIFA Bureau, featuring the six regional football confederation presidents, said the Russian flag and anthem can’t be associated with the team playing as “Football Union of Russia (RFU).”
“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.”
The decision adopts the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling before the invasion of Ukraine, punishing Russia’s cover-up of the investigation into state-sponsored doping. It meant the Russians had to compete at the last two Olympics as the ROC team — Russian Olympic Committee. FIFA had stalled implementing the ban on Russia competing under the country’s name until a potential qualification the World Cup.
The winner of the Russia-Poland playoff is due to host Sweden or the Czech Republic on March 29 to decide who advances to the Nov. 21-Dec. 18 World Cup in Qatar.
Swedish federation president Karl-Erik Nilsson, the senior UEFA vice president, told the website Fotbollskanalen that he was not satisfied with the FIFA decision with a “sharper stance” expected. The Czechs said the FIFA compromise did not change their decision not to play Russia.
FIFA said it had engaged with the three associations and would remain in “close contact to seek to find appropriate and acceptable solutions together.”
Separately, the English Football Association announced that its national teams would refuse to play Russia for the “foreseeable future.” Russia has qualified for the Women’s European Championship which is being hosted by England in June.
The English FA said the decision was taken “out of solidarity with the Ukraine and to wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership.”
The RFU’s president is Aleksandr Dyukov, who is chief executive of a subsidiary of state-owned energy giant Gazprom and also sits on the UEFA executive committee.
In France, the football federation president Noël Le Graët told the Le Parisien daily Sunday that he was leaning toward excluding Russia from the World Cup.
“The world of sport, and in particular football, cannot remain neutral,” said Le Graët, who sits on the ruling FIFA Council and has recently been a close ally of the governing body’s president, Gianni Infantino.
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 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.
As Russia’s war on 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.
The Russian president is a keen judoka and attended the sport at the 2012 London Olympics.
There was an abrupt resignation on Sunday from the Russian who is president of the European Judo Union, with Sergey Soloveychik referencing the “heartache that we see the people in brotherly countries die” but backing his country.
“No one doubts that my heart belongs to judo,” he said. “But it is equally true that it belongs to my homeland, Russia. We, judoka, must always be loyal to our principles.”
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.”
On Sunday, FINA announced the cancellation of the world junior swim titles which were scheduled from Aug. 23-28 in Kazan. FINA said it was looking for a replacement host for the event.
“FINA remains extremely concerned with the continuing war in Ukraine and following ongoing consultation with athletes and stakeholders from the aquatics family, FINA can now confirm that the 8th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships and FINA will not be holding any future events in Russia if this grave crisis continues,” the FINA statement said.
-AP
The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.
Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.
“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”
Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.
Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.
Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.
Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.
The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.
Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.
With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.
“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”
Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.
“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.
The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.
The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.
Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.
-Reuters
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting that its Statutes will be amended at this year’s Annual General Assembly (AGA), insisting that no such plans are on the table for the September 27 meeting.
In a statement, the Federation stressed that the ongoing conversation around its Statutes remains at a preliminary stage and that suggestions of imminent changes are unfounded.
Ahead of the AGA, the NFF will host a workshop on September 26, bringing together representatives of its members, as well as officials from FIFA and CAF. According to the Federation, the forum is strictly consultative, designed to deliberate on proposals for new Statutes in line with the principles of good governance and international best practices.
The NFF explained that only after consensus is reached with its members will a separate General Assembly be convened to formally consider and adopt any proposed Statute changes.
“The NFF remains committed to due process, transparency, and working hand-in-hand with its General Assembly Members, FIFA, and CAF,” the statement read.
“The ultimate goal is to establish enduring Statutes that will strengthen governance, broaden representation, and promote inclusivity within Nigerian football.”
The Federation added that the long-term reform framework is aimed at ensuring stability and progress across its structures and enhancing the participation of all stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
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