Anxiety As FIFA Confirm Russia Kicked Out of Qatar World Cup As Poland Given Bye to Playoff Final

• Russia will no longer take part in the qualifying process of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as they have been officially removed
• Poland who were billed to take on Russia have been given a pass to the final qualification stage scheduled for March 29
• This decision comes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Poland will now take on winners between Sweden and the Czech Republic

The world’s football governing body FIFA has confirmed that Russia will not be part of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as the country has been removed from the qualification process, Sporting News reports.

FIFA made the decision following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as Poland are now given a bye into the Path B playoff final on March 29.

Russia were billed to take on Poland in the semi-final of the playoff process, but after the war on Ukraine, the Polish FA and their players announced that they no longer want to face Russia.

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Poland will now face either Sweden or the Czech Republic in the final.

A statement from FIFA reads as per Mirror:

"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."

FIFA have also confirmed that the playoff semi-final between Ukraine and Scotland has been delayed, although the semi-final in that section between Wales and Austria will go ahead as planned.

Zinchenko admits he wants to help Ukraine

Manchester City midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko recently admitted he wanted to go to help his home country Ukraine, but his family stopped him.

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About a million Ukrainians have fled to safety, mostly outside the country, since Russia began its invasion a week ago.

Zinchenko only learnt of the invasion through a phone call from his wife Vlada last week.

Regardless, the 25-year old has kept his professionalism and continued training with his Manchester City team.

Klitschko conducts a wedding on the frontline

Sports Brief earlier reported that emotional footage as shown boxing great, Vitali Klitschko conducting a wedding ceremony in Kyiv while on the frontlines defending Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

Klitschko who serves as the Mayor of Kyiv is one of many boxers to have enrolled in the Ukrainian army to defend their country against the Russian military.

Vitali Klitschko was on hand to watch two territorial defence members, Valeri and Lesya, say “I do”.