After the announcement of Ru sia's suspension from all competitions by FIFA and UEFA in a joint decision, a number of competitions have been affected by the move.
The most high-profile competition affected is the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup with Europe's qualifying playoffs scheduled to take place in late March. While 10 UEFA teams have confirmed places at the World Cup, there are still three more places to be determined.
Ru sia was drawn against Poland in a four-team mini-bracket, with the winner of the bracket to earn a place in this winter's FIFA World Cup. Ru sia was slated to host the match against Poland and in case of victory Tutu Atwell Jerseys , it also would have hosted the playoff final against Sweden or the Czech Republic.
Now that Ru sia is suspended, decisions have been made on how to proceed.
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a decision to advance Poland who was originally drawn to face Ru sia to the final of the mini-bracket.
The governing body has also accepted Ukraine's request to postpone its fixture against Scotland, pushing the semifinal match and the final match in that mini-bracket to the June international window. Austria's semifinal against Wales will still take place in March, and the winner will then have to wait until June to play in the mini-bracket final.
Ru sia is expected to appeal FIFA's suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, whose decision could alter any changes made now or in the future, but as of now, this is the situation.
UEFA World Cup qualifiers schedule
Here is how the schedule looks after FIFA's decisions.
Path A bracketDateStageMatchTBD (June)SemifinalScotland vs. UkraineMarch 24SemifinalWales vs. AustriaTBD (June)Final(hosted by Wales/Austria)Path B bracketDateStageMatchMarch 24SemifinalRu sia vs. Poland (bye)March 24SemifinalSweden vs. Czech RepublicMarch 29FinalPoland vs. Sweden/Czech RepublicPath C Los Angeles Rams Accessories bracketDateStageMatchMarch 24SemifinalItaly vs North MacedoniaMarch 24SemifinalPortugal vs. TurkeyMarch 29Final(hosted by Portugal/Turkey)
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Options available to handle UEFA World Cup qualifying
FIFA has decided to advance Poland via forfeit, but this was not the only decision available to FIFA and UEFA in handling the World Cup qualifying bracket.
Here are all available options that FIFA will likely have considered when deciding how to handle Ru sia's disqualification.
Option 1: Poland advances via forfeit
The most straightforward option available to FIFA Jake Funk Jerseys and UEFA would be to advance Poland to the final of the mini-bracket via a forfeit victory over the now-suspended Ru sia.
This option affords UEFA with the most time to wait and see how the conflict in Ukraine progre ses, and if a resolution presents itself with the po sibility of peace in the near future.
It represents the least controversial option given other potential decisions which could be seen as arbitrary and produce significant debate (see below).
But this was probably not be the fairest option from a sporting standpoint. Given that a World Cup berth is at stake, advancing Poland to the final match is a significant advantage over the other teams in the bracket (Sweden and Czech Republic) or those in other brackets, with Poland simply advancing due to its luck of drawing the now-disqualified Ru sia.
Option 2: Slovakia replaces Ru sia
Terrell Burgess Jerseys If UEFA decided that Poland must play a playoff semifinal match like Sweden and the Czech Republic, it could have dipped back into Group H, where Ru sia finished second, and take the next best team: third-place finishers Slovakia.
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Slovakia finished eight points back of Ru sia in a distant third (14 points), level with Slovenia on points, but ahead on goal differential. They actually beat Ru sia at home 2-1 during the group stage in late March of last year.
This decision could have come under fire given how far Slovakia finished behind the top two teams. It would have led to conversation centered around more deserving teams for that spot.
However, it would have been an acceptable choice from a sporting standpoint given it validates the group stage matches anddoes not allow Poland a free pa s to the playoff final.
Option 3: Norway replaces Ru sia
This option was similar to the previous method, but instead of limiting the selection to Group H (Ru sia's qualifying group), it would have broadened the scope a bit.
Norway finished as the best third-place team acro s the group stage, failing to qualify for the knockout round by a slim margin.
Norway collected 18 points acro s Group G play (compared Bobby Brown III Jerseys to Slovakia's 14 points), finishing just three points behind second-place Turkey, and cruelly left out due to a final-day lo s to the Netherlands that saw the Dutch score two goals in the final six minutes of the match.
While this option would have seen the next most 'deserving' team from the group stage reach the knockout round based on overall record, it would still feel a bit imperfect, seemingly bypa sing the group stage structure with what would be perceived as an arbitrary UEFA selection.
Option 4: Hungary replaces Ru sia
Like the previous Matthew Orzech Jerseys two options, Hungary could have also been given consideration as the next Nations League group winner, using a different criteria.
Two spots in the knockout rounds given to Austria and Czech Republic were awarded via their Nations League finish as group winners. A pair of places were pre-a signed to the Nations League group winners that didn't automatically qualify via World Cup qualifying group placement.
With Nations League group winners Italy, Belgium, France and Spain all securing qualification either directly to the World Cup or to the playoff stage via their World Cup qualifying group finish, Austria and the Czech Republic were the next group winners in line and they qualified to the playoffs.
Hungary , and it just so happens the Hungarians bested Ru sia by three points to finish first. UEFA could have looked to give greater importance to the Nations League by picking Ru sia's replacement from this competition.
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