The Lithuanian women’s football team will refuse to play Belarus in the Euro 2025 qualifiers today, effectively ruining their chances of making it to the finals.
Following the onset of armed aggression against Ukraine, UEFA excluded the Russian national team and its clubs from all competitions.
The organization adopted a different approach to Belarus, allowing the nation and its clubs to compete. Now the team is on the brink of qualifying for next year’s women’s European Championship.
On Tuesday, the Belarusians will practically secure play-off qualification as they are expected to be awarded a 3:0 victory over Lithuania after the Baltic team refused to play.
The organization adopted a different approach to Belarus, allowing the nation and its clubs to compete. Now the team is on the brink of qualifying for next year’s women’s European Championship.
On Tuesday, the Belarusians will practically secure play-off qualification as they are expected to be awarded a 3:0 victory over Lithuania after the Baltic team refused to play.
“They can impose walkovers, penalties, but we will not play,” the president of the Lithuanian Football Association, Edgaras Stankevičius, said shortly after his nation was drawn in the same group as Belarus.
Last year, the Belarusian women struggled against the Czech, Bosnian, and Slovenian women, winning just two points along the way, and were subsequently relegated to League C.
Their group in League C pitted them against Georgian, Cypriot, and Lithuanian women.
“While in Switzerland, I had a brief conversation with UEFA. Our position is principled. From what I was able to find out, the official regulations do not specify what to do with a team that refuses to play matches,” Stankevičius said in March.
“I don't know if it will be a 0:3 walkover or disqualification from the entire series. But they can impose walkovers, penalties, zero points. We will not play,” he added.
He kept his word, as the Lithuanian national team has already failed to come out once, on the last day of May, for a match against Belarus.
After two 0:3 defeats to Belarus, the Lithuanian women will be effectively out of the running for qualification. They would have to win their two remaining matches and count on favorable results elsewhere (to qualify as one of the three best second places).
In the first round, teams from League C will face sides that failed to gain direct promotion from League A. Consequently, Belarus could potentially face Poland in a play-off for a place at next year's Euros.
Switzerland, the tournament’s host, has already secured qualification for Euro 2025. They will be joined by the top eight teams from League A and the seven winners of the two-stage play-off.
Last year, the Belarusian women struggled against the Czech, Bosnian, and Slovenian women, winning just two points along the way, and were subsequently relegated to League C.
Their group in League C pitted them against Georgian, Cypriot, and Lithuanian women.
“While in Switzerland, I had a brief conversation with UEFA. Our position is principled. From what I was able to find out, the official regulations do not specify what to do with a team that refuses to play matches,” Stankevičius said in March.
“I don't know if it will be a 0:3 walkover or disqualification from the entire series. But they can impose walkovers, penalties, zero points. We will not play,” he added.
He kept his word, as the Lithuanian national team has already failed to come out once, on the last day of May, for a match against Belarus.
After two 0:3 defeats to Belarus, the Lithuanian women will be effectively out of the running for qualification. They would have to win their two remaining matches and count on favorable results elsewhere (to qualify as one of the three best second places).
In the first round, teams from League C will face sides that failed to gain direct promotion from League A. Consequently, Belarus could potentially face Poland in a play-off for a place at next year's Euros.
Switzerland, the tournament’s host, has already secured qualification for Euro 2025. They will be joined by the top eight teams from League A and the seven winners of the two-stage play-off.
Source: TVP Sport
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