Hypocrisy? Ukraine demands Jordan ditch Russia match after siding against 'Israel' ban
The Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) has formally called on the Jordanian Football Association (JFA) to cancel a planned friendly match between their men's national team and Russia, scheduled for September 4, 2025, in Moscow.
The move, however, has ignited a debate in regional sporting circles, with critics pointing to what they call a "glaring double standard" in international football politics.
In an official letter sent to FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), UEFA, and the JFA, the Ukrainian body condemned the planned match, citing the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia as well as a ban imposed by FIFA and UEFA in February 2022 that prevents Russian teams from participating in official international competitions.
"The brutal war of aggression continues. Russia kills peaceful Ukrainians every day," the UAF letter stated. "Holding international matches with the participation of representatives of the aggressor country is a direct violation not only of the decisions of the governing bodies but also of the basic principles of humanity, peace, and respect for life."
The UAF expressed "particular concern" over a series of recent or planned fixtures involving Jordanian and Russian teams, including a friendly between the Jordan national team and Russian club Zenit in Qatar on January 21, 2025, and a women's national team match in the UAE on February 26, 2025.
However, the upcoming men's match in Moscow was singled out as the most shocking. "The planned match of the men's national teams on the territory of a terrorist state surpasses all of the above," the letter declared, calling it "unacceptable from a moral and political point of view."
While the UAF's appeal is rooted in the principle of international solidarity, it has been met with sharp criticism and accusations of hypocrisy. Commentators and football officials in the Middle East were quick to point to the 74th FIFA Congress held in May 2024. At that congress, the Jordanian and Palestinian Football Associations led a proposal to have the 'Israeli' Football Association suspended from FIFA due to the ongoing aggression in Gaza and issues regarding teams in 'Israeli' settlements.
That proposal did not receive the backing of many European federations, including Ukraine. Critics now argue that while the UAF is demanding Jordan adhere to a political boycott of Russia, it was unwilling to offer the same solidarity to the Jordanian and Palestinian cause just a year prior.
This perceived inconsistency has become the central focus of the debate. An official familiar with the discussions, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted the "uncomfortable irony" of the situation. "You cannot ask for solidarity on one hand and deny it with the other. The Jordanian FA is being asked to take a strong political stance that the Ukrainian FA itself was not willing to take on an issue of immense importance to our region."
The original FIFA and UEFA ban explicitly covers competitive matches, such as World Cup qualifiers and the UEFA Nations League. Friendly matches have occupied a grey area, with Russia managing to schedule games against several nations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East since the ban was enacted.
The Ukrainian FA has urged all governing bodies to "take appropriate measures to prevent the further participation of any teams from the aggressor state in international matches."
As of now, the Jordanian Football Association has not issued a formal public response to the UAF's letter.
