As World Cup to begins in Qatar, Former host Russia frozen out

Russian President Vladimir Putin touches the World Cup trophy as FIFA President Gianni Infantino stands beside him, at the end of the final match between France and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 15, 2018. Russia hosted the World Cup party in 2018 but now it's off the guest list. PIC credit. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)

As World Cup to begins in Qatar, Former host Russia frozen out

Four years after Vladimir Putin hosted the World Cup party, Russia is off the guest list.

While the soccer world focuses on the opening game of the World Cup in Qatar on Sunday, Russia will be playing a friendly game in Uzbekistan.

Russia was kicked out of World Cup qualifying after it invaded Ukraine and now can only play friendlies against the few nations prepared to accept its invitations.

The Russian men's national team's only game of 2022 so far was a 2-1 win over Kyrgyzstan in September. Russian clubs are barred from the Champions League and the women's national team was removed from the European Championship.

Monday marked one year since the last competitive game of the Russian men's national team, a 1-0 loss at Croatia on a swampy, waterlogged field. That meant Russia didn't qualify for the World Cup directly and went into the playoffs. By the time those came around, Russia had invaded Ukraine.

Russia's scheduled opponent, Poland, refused to travel to Moscow to play, as did the other teams in the playoff bracket. That raised the prospect of Russia qualifying for the World Cup by default. In legal battles at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, FIFA argued that letting Russia compete could cause more boycotts and “irreparable and chaotic” damage to its tournament. CAS let the ban stand.

Games against Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina were planned for November but neither is taking place. Instead, Russia is touring two former Soviet nations to play Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.