Czech Republic joined Sweden and Poland in saying they would also not play on Russian soil
Under normal rules, that would mean they are thrown out of the competition and Russia would advance to play at the World Cup. However, givenSweden, a potential future opponent of Russia in the playoffs, later said they would also refuse to play Russia “regardless of where the match is played.”
“The military escalation that we are observing entails serious consequences and considerably lower safety for our national football teams and official delegations," the soccer federations of Poland, Czech Republic and Sweden said in a statement. Other soccer players around Europe have shown their solidarity for Ukraine this week, and during a U.K. Premier League match on Saturday night, both teams came out sporting the Ukrainian flag. Everton had flags draped over their shoulders, while Manchester City had specially made jerseys with the flag printed on their chests and the words “No War.”
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