‘We cannot play against Russia’ – Swedish FA

The president of the Swedish Football Association, Karl-Erik Nilsson, believes it is “almost unthinkable” that his country would play a World Cup play-off final in Moscow, given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

Nilsson, believes that the military situation between Russia and Ukraine renders that potential match inconceivable.

“It’s a possible scenario and the feelings we have as we wake up this morning are that it is almost unthinkable that we in a few weeks would play a football match in Russia.  As it looks here and now, today, there is absolutely no desire to play a football match in Russia.”

Sweden are due to take on the Czech Republic in a World Cup play-off semi-final on March 24, before then facing a trip to the winner of Russia’s semi-final against Poland on March 29.