Hungary and Bulgaria hit by FIFA sanctions

Bulgaria and Hungary will each play their next World Cup qualifying matches on March 22 behind closed doors after racist incidents, among other infractions, marred previous encounters, FIFA said on Tuesday.

World soccer's governing body said that during the Hungary-Israel game in August, "a group of supporters had chanted anti-Semitic chants, and displayed other offensive symbols", which the Hungarian federation acknowledged and regretted.

"After taking into account the full circumstances of the case, and in particular due to the gravity of the incidents," FIFA's disciplinary committee ruled Hungary's match against Romania on March 22 would now "be played without spectators".