FIFA Suspends Russian Teams from Competitions amid Invasion of Ukraine

FIFA has banned Russian teams from participating in FIFA or UEFA competitions until further notice after the invasion of Ukraine, the organization announced Monday.

Dan Roan of BBC Sport first reported FIFA was in advanced talks to make the decision.

It comes after the governing body of world football chose not to ban the country from competition Sunday, instead saying it could compete under the name RFU (Russian Football Union). The team would not be able to use the Russian flag or national anthem at matches.

A suspension could impact the men's national team ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Russia is scheduled to compete in a qualifying playoff beginning March 24 against Poland and would face Sweden or the Czech Republic if it beats Poland. However, the three other teams have refused to face Russia.

The decision not to ban Russia was met with criticism, but the organization indicated there could still be changes.

"FIFA will continue its ongoing dialogue with the IOC, UEFA and other sport organizations to determine any additional measures or sanctions," FIFA said in a statement, "including a potential exclusion from competitions, that shall be applied in the near future should the situation not be improving rapidly."

The potential shift could come after the International Olympic Committee called on sports bodies to exclude Russian athletes from international events, via Graham Dunbar of the Associated Press.

A ban is needed to "protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants," the IOC said in a statement Monday.

The Russian men's team reached the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup as the host country.

A FIFA ban could also affect the women's national team with the European championships set to begin in July. Russia, currently No. 25 in the world, has qualified for the continental competition.