A day after Poland and Sweden both refused to play any 2022 World Cup qualifying match against Russia due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine, Czech Republic did the same Sunday.
The Czech soccer association’s executive committee “unanimously approved a decision that the Czech national team will not in any case play Russia,” the Associated Press reported.
Poland, Sweden, and Czech Republic are the three countries that were grouped with Russia for a four-team playoff after none of the teams earned automatic qualification bids in group play. Russia was set to play Poland in a March 24 semifinal in Moscow, while Sweden and Czech Republic were scheduled to meet on the same day in Solna, Sweden.
The trio of countries refusing to play Russia previously released a joint statement expressing their “firm position” that no World Cup qualifiers should be played in Russia.
Neither UEFA nor FIFA have announced how World Cup qualifications will proceed given the collective decision of the other three teams in Path B. FIFA previously released a statement Thursday that said the association “condemns the use of force by Russia in Ukraine” and updates in relation to World Cup qualifiers will be communicated in due force.
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