Russia Host Iraq in First Home Match Since Invasion of Ukraine

Russia’s males’s staff will host their first match on residence soil since November 2021 on Sunday, a pleasant towards Iraq in St Petersburg, having been kicked out of worldwide competitors as a result of of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Both European soccer physique UEFA and international soccer’s governing physique FIFA determined in February, 2022 that every one Russian groups – nationwide or membership sides – could be suspended from participation in their competitions following the invasion.

The Russian Football Union (RFU) has touted switching from UEFA to the 47-nation Asian confederation (AFC), however its govt committee has not formally proposed this concept.

TASS reported that the RFU expects round 20,000 followers to attend Sunday’s recreation on the Gazprom Arena, which had been attributable to host final 12 months’s Champions League last earlier than Russia was stripped of that honour.

Russia’s males have performed 4 friendlies for the reason that invasion, all away from residence. Russia received 2-1 away in Kyrgyzstan final September, earlier than attracts towards Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran.

Russia’s girls haven’t performed at residence since February, 2022.

Russia, which calls its actions in Ukraine a “particular navy operation”, was prevented from qualifying for the 2022 men’s World Cup, while the women’s team were barred from participating in last year’s European Championship.

The RFU and four Russian clubs had appeals against the bans dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last July.

Most international sports federations have excluded athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus since the invasion, but some are now starting to allow them back into competition.

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(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed)