₦airaland Forum

The Swedish Football Association's board has decided that the Swedish men's national team will not play a possible playoff match against Russia - regardless of where the match is played. The Federal Board also urges FIFA to cancel the play-off matches in March in which Russia participates.

- The illegal and deeply unjust invasion of Ukraine currently makes all football exchanges with Russia impossible. We therefore urge FIFA to decide that the playoff matches in March in which Russia participates will be cancelled. But regardless of what FIFA chooses to do, we will not play against Russia in March, says the Swedish Football Association's chairman Karl-Erik Nilsson.

- We have a hard time believing that FIFA will not follow our call. Russia can not join as long as this madness continues.

According to the current plan, Russia will play Poland in Moscow on March 24. Sweden meets the Czech Republic at Friends Arena on the same date. If Russia wins, the winning team will meet in Moscow on March 29.

- In addition to the moral reasons, which in themselves are more than enough, one can also ask how matches with Russia involved can be guaranteed in terms of security in the current situation - even if they were moved to a neutral level.

Sweden's Minister of Sports Anders Ygeman spoke earlier today about the situation after Russia's invasion.

- As long as the Russian aggression continues, I want the EU to make a decision that we will not have any participation in Russian events and we will exclude Russian professional practitioners from participating in events in other countries, Ygeman tells TT.

"The Czech FA executive committee, staff members and players of the national team agreed it's not possible to play against the Russian national team in the current situation, not even on the neutral venue.

We all want the war to end as soon as possible."