Governing Bodies
Poland FA blast FIFA over Russia!
Poland have insisted they will not play Russia in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match next month, even after it was announced that the fixture would be moved to a neutral venue.
FIFA announced that it had taken “immediate first measures” against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine including a ban on the country hosting international football matches, but the Polish Football Association (PZPN) has insisted it needs to go further and ban the country from this year’s men’s World Cup.
FIFA has also banned the Russian name, flag and anthem from all matches, with the country’s teams to compete under the Football Union of Russia (RFU) banner.
The measures were approved unanimously by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, and apply “until further notice”.
The International Federation said these sanctions are in line with those recommended by the international Olympic Committee (IOC), which has called on Russia – as well as its ally Belarus – to be stripped of all events which have not already been moved and for both countries’ flags and anthems to be banned.
Russia had been due to host a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier against Poland on March 24, with the winner of the tie facing either Sweden or Czech Republic at home five days later for a place at the tournament in Qatar.
However, the PZPN believes FIFA’s sanctions do not go far enough, and has reiterated its refusal to play any match against Russia.
“Today’s FIFA decision is totally unacceptable,” the PZPN President Cezary Kulesza wrote on Twitter.
“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 PZPN has also insisted that FIFA must expel Russia from the World Cup.
“A performance in a match against the Russian national team would be a shameful act not just for our players but for the entire football community, contrary to solidarity with the Ukrainian nation,” a statement read.
“As [a] football association, we refuse to participate in playoff matches in which the Russian national team appears.
“At the same time, we call on the FIFA authorities to react immediately to the brutal violence that we observe daily on the territory of independent Ukraine.
“If FIFA’s Human Rights Policy is more than just words on a paper now is the time to put it into practice by excluding the Russian Football Association from the qualifiers for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.”
Swedish Football Association President Karl-Erik Nilsson said that it too will maintain its stance on refusing to face Russia.
“It [the FIFA decision] was not at all what we had hoped for,” Nilsson said, as reported by Aftonbladet.
“Our opinion is not different today and the situation has not changed in Ukraine just because we have received this message from FIFA.”
Earlier today, the Football Association of the Czech Republic joined its Polish and Swedish counterparts in refusing to play Russia in the playoffs at any venue.
Under the sanctions, Russia’s home matches are to be played behind closed doors at a neutral venue, but FIFA said it “has taken good note of the positions expressed via social media” by all three bodies and “has already engaged in dialogue” with the Member Associations in question.
It added that it “will remain in close contact to seek to find appropriate and acceptable solutions together”.
Russia hosted the last edition of the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2018, with its President Gianni Infantino awarded the Order of Friendship by the country’s President Vladimir Putin in 2019.
Infantino refused to answer questions on whether he would keep the honour following a meeting of the FIFA Council on Thursday.
Further sanctions have been promised “should the situation not be improving rapidly”, including excluding Russia from FIFA competitions altogether.
The Bureau of the FIFA Council “remains on standby to take any of these decisions”.
Any such measures will be determined following “ongoing dialogue with the IOC, UEFA and other sport organisations”.
FIFA also said it is holding ongoing discussions with the Ukrainian Association of Football to address its concerns.
“First and foremost, FIFA would like to reiterate its condemnation of the use of force by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine,” the International Federation commented.
“Violence is never a solution and FIFA expresses its deepest solidarity to all people affected by what is happening in Ukraine.
“FIFA calls again for the urgent restoration of peace and for constructive dialogue to commence immediately.
“FIFA remains in close contact with the Ukrainian Association of Football and members of the Ukrainian football community who have been requesting support to leave the country for as long as the current conflict persists.”
It added: “Importantly, FIFA strongly believes that the sport movement should be united in its decisions on this topic and that sport should continue being a vector of peace and hope.”
UEFA had moved the men’s Champions League final from Saint Petersburg to Paris on Friday (February 25) following Russia’s military offensive.
Hundreds have been killed in the conflict and many thousands more dispersed, with Russian forces entering Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has imposed martial law and urged citizens to take up arms to fight the invasion.
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World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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