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The World Cup field isn't set yet, but we now know of one superpower who won't be playing in the world's biggest sporting event, 'cause FIFA has banned Russia from participating after the country invaded Ukraine, killing soldiers and innocent people alike.

FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) -- the group that oversees the World Cup -- announced a decision Monday barring the country from playing in the WC, ending Russian soccer fans' hopes of cheering on their team when the tourney kicks off in Qatar in November.

FIFA and UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) released a statement announcing the new sanctions.

"FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice," the statement read, in part.

The governing bodies ended with an optimistic hope for the future.

"Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both Presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.”

32 teams ultimately qualify (31 countries plus the host nation) for the World Cup ... and Russia was not yet one of them. The Russian team was scheduled to compete in Europe in a few weeks, where they were going to vie for one of the last remaining openings.

But, due to Vladimir Putin's aggression -- ruthlessly attacking Ukraine from land, air, sea and Cyber -- FIFA stepped up and kicked them out ... for 2022, at least.

FIFA was initially criticized for failing to take a strong stance against Putin and the Russians. Over the weekend, they announced Russia could compete, but they wouldn't allow the Russian flag or anthem to be played.

It seems officials heard the anger from many soccer fans across the country ... thus the strong stance against Russia.

Vasyl Lomachenko -- arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet -- has joined the fight in his home country, taking up arms in Ukraine to help fend off Russia's invasion.

The 34-year-old former champ and two-time Olympic gold medalist was seen carrying an M16 while dressed in fatigues near his hometown over the weekend.

In a post on his Facebook page, reps for Lomachenko posted a picture of the fighter in his gear with the caption, "The Bilgorod-Dnistrovsky Battalion of Territorial Defense is formed and armed."

Lomachenko reportedly traveled to his home country shortly after Russia invaded last week ... joining former star boxers Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko in the fight.

"We are so proud of our boxers, our real champions in boxing and champions in this war," the president of WBC Ukraine, Mykola Kovalchuk, told ESPN. "We are proud to be Ukrainians."

Lomachenko -- who last fought in December against Richard Commey -- is just a couple months away from his next fight, which will reportedly be against George Kambosos in the beginning of the summer.

The Russian national soccer team will be allowed to take the pitch ahead of some World Cup qualifying games -- because FIFA's letting them proceed ... despite some sanctions.

The international governing body for the game announced Sunday they would let Russia's players play against some neighboring countries in soon-to-come matches -- like against Poland, for example -- stopping short of an all-out ban ... which many were calling for.

Instead of kicking them out of the competition entirely, FIFA says they are, instead, not going to allow the Russian flag to be displayed, and won't play the Russian anthem either. They're also going to force the team to go by a new moniker -- the Football Union of Russia ... and no fans are allowed either.

Perhaps the biggest restriction FIFA is laying down in response to Putin's invasion ... not allowing any matches to be played in Russia itself, insisting on neutral territories.

Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden were set to dive into a 4-team playoff round -- with games scheduled to be played in Russia itself -- and have since said they wouldn't square off against Russia at all ... no matter where the games were situated.

Seeing how Poland was supposed to play Russia first in this tournament -- they responded to FIFA's announcement shortly thereafter, reportedly calling it "totally unacceptable" and again reaffirming their commitment to not playing against Russia no matter what.

The Kid from Akron is getting his own museum in his hometown ... with the massive tribute coming to Ohio in 2023.

The LeBron James Family Foundation made the announcement on Friday via Instagram -- showing flicks of the 37-year-old standing in the soon-to-be exhibit.

"The story of King James will live on in Akron forever inside the one-and-only LeBron James Museum by Upper Deck Sports at House Three Thirty 👑."

The museum will be in the basement of the HFF -- a multi-use facility launched by the LBFF that offers financial health training, a sports complex, full-service dining and more for the community.

The exhibit will feature the journey of King James ... starting from the Springhill Apartments to becoming a 4-time NBA champion.

It will display his basketball awards at St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S., his "Decision" to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat, his return to Ohio and more recently, his time with his current team, the L.A. Lakers.

His many off-court ventures will be focused on as well -- including the I Promise School, involvement in growing the Blaze Pizza franchise and his acting career.

"We can’t wait to bring the story of the kid from Akron to life for all to see in 2023. 🤴🏾"

Hopefully, they left some space for his retirement and his Hall of Fame induction ... and maybe a few more trophies?!

A 51-year-old federal appeals court judge is poised to become the first-ever black woman to sit on the United States Supreme Court.

President Biden is set to nominate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who sits on the prestigious Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. ... this according to ABC News.

Biden reportedly called Jackson to offer her the nom and she accepted during a call Thursday night.

Biden was true to his word when he said during the 2020 campaign he would nominate a Black woman.

Jackson was the frontrunner from the get-go, although there were 3 other jurists Biden was considering. Jackson is a Harvard Law School grad who clerked for the Justice she's in line to replace -- Stephen Breyer.

In her early career, Jackson was a federal public defender. She'd be the first, former federal public defender to serve on the High Court since Thurgood Marshall. This is significant -- most of the Justices have no practical experience in the criminal justice system ... at least no experience in the trenches.

As for her chances, well there's a razor-thin Democrat majority in the Senate, but confirmation is likely unless there are surprises. Jackson's already been confirmed by the Senate 3 times -- twice when she was elevated to 2 federal courts and a third time when she was confirmed to sit on the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

As for how Jackson could change the court ... not much for the immediate future. She's replacing a like-minded jurist in Breyer, so the balance of power is still 6-3 in favor of conservative justices.

And, fun fact ... while she was at Harvard she acted opposite Matt Damon in a drama class.

The Union of European Football Associations is not playing around -- the soccer org. is taking swift action and is expected to move its Champions League Final out of Russia after the country launched an attack on Ukraine.

The Final was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 28 at Krestsovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg ... but according to reports, that's no longer the case.

UEFA wasted no time kickstarting the search for a replacement host shortly after the news broke ... releasing a statement saying the matter will be addressed on Friday.

The org. released a statement ... saying, "Following the evolution of the situation between Russia and Ukraine, the UEFA president has called an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee for 10 a.m. CET [4 a.m. ET] on Friday 25 February."

UEFA officials say the purpose of the meeting is "to evaluate the situation and take all necessary decisions" ... and that they'll release further information after the conclusion of the conference.

The governing body for European football expressed serious concern over what's happening between the neighboring countries ... condemning Russia's military-style invasion of Ukraine.

"UEFA shares the international community’s significant concern for the security situation developing in Europe," the Union said in a statement.

The statement continued ... "As the governing body of European football, we are dealing with this situation with the utmost seriousness and urgency."

The assault on Ukraine has sent thousands of Ukrainians running for cover and fleeing as bombs drop on innocent civilians.

As you know by now, Russia has brazenly attacked Ukraine from all angles, and its citizens -- who up till now were shockingly calm -- are now dealing with an impossible situation. Try to survive the attack, or get out.

The video (above) is shocking ... a Russian fighter jet buzzes a home in Ukraine and drops a bomb either right near or on a house. You hear children wailing in fear inside the building.

Traffic is snarled in what looks like a never-ending line of cars as people flee Kyiv.

And, the train station has become a bomb shelter ... jam-packed with hundreds of people huddled together. Look at the faces, the families and the fear.

The questions now ... how far will Putin go? And, how much will the Ukrainians fight to preserve their homeland? Putin has brazenly lied about his act of war, suggesting Ukraine has some sort of Nazi influence. It's a ridiculous statement ... the President of Ukraine is Jewish, and the only aggressor here is Russia.

"Dancing with the Stars" pro Cheryl Burke is waving the white flag on her marriage to actor Matthew Lawrence ... because she just filed for divorce.

The dancer and TV host beelined it to a Los Angeles courthouse last week and filed divorce docs after nearly 3 years of marriage.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Cheryl lists the date of separation as Jan. 7 of this year ... and the estranged couple has a prenuptial agreement.

Cheryl and Matthew, who is most famous for his roles in "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Boy Meets World," tied the knot back in May 2019 in San Diego ... but they never had any kids together.

The pair first met in 2006, when Matthew's brother, actor Joey Lawrence, appeared on 'DWTS.'

Cheryl and Matthew began dating in February 2007, breaking up in 2008 and eventually reuniting in 2017. They got engaged in May 2018, when Matthew proposed on Cheryl's 34th birthday.

Sad news in the hockey world ... Rodion Amirov, the Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round pick in 2020, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and has been ruled out for the season.

Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas announced the diagnosis on Wednesday morning ... saying the tumor was found while the 20-year-old was recovering from an injury he suffered at the beginning of this season.

"During the course of his recovery from this injury," Dubas said, "he developed some new, unrelated symptoms that required ongoing extensive investigations over the last few months."

Dubas says the prospect -- who plays in the KHL, one of the best pro hockey leagues in the world -- is now undergoing treatment at a German medical facility and he'll miss the rest of the 2021-2022 season.

"Our medical staff has been involved throughout the process alongside [Rodion's KHL team] and we are in direct contact with the facility on an ongoing basis to monitor his treatment and care," Dubas said.

"Rodion has the complete support of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and we will continue to ensure he receives the best care possible throughout this process."

Amirov is in good spirits despite the news -- his agent, Dan Milstein, said he's working out every day and skating three times a week.

"I want to stay positive, and I want people to think positively about me," Amirov told Sportsnet.

"There are many other people that have their own sicknesses or illnesses. I want to show by example that I can give people hope."

The men who chased down and murdered Ahmaud Arbery committed a hate crime in the process of their fatal actions ... and they've all just been convicted of that offense.

The 12-jurors in the federal hate crime trial reached their decision Tuesday after a weeklong trial ... in which prosecutors argued the motivation behind the murder was hatred toward Arbery because of his race. As such Travis, Gregory McMichael and William 'Roddie' Bryan were all convicted.

All three men faced one count of interference of Arbery's civil rights, plus attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels were also charged with using, carrying and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

Travis -- the one who actually shot and killed Arbery on the road -- was also hit with a count of using a firearm in relation to a violent crime. The feds alleged these acts were racially motivated ... hence, why the case fell within the purview of federal hate crime laws.

Prosecutors pointed to racist messages they claimed had been posted or exchanged by the defendants -- specifically zeroing in on Travis McMichael, who allegedly once said Black people needed to be made examples of in white vs. Black confrontations.

Prosecutors also claimed the men had used racially charged language -- be it in writing, or verbally -- at one point or another. In addition to this, the feds claim Bryan himself told cops he'd heard the McMichaels use a racist epithet to describe Ahmaud after he'd fallen to the ground.

The men, meanwhile, insisted they weren't racist, and that the chase wasn't motivated by race.

Obviously, the jury didn't believe them.

"The Wendy Williams Show" is no more ... and it will become "Sherri."

Wendy has been dealing with serious health issues for months now. TMZ broke the story, the TV honchos that carry the show said Sherri Shepherd became the permanent guest host and they were monitoring Wendy's heath and, if it didn't get better, the change would become permanent.

Now, the show's producers said Tuesday, "This is also a bitter-sweet moment for us and our partners at Fox. We all have great love and affinity for Wendy, who grew into a true icon during her 12 incredible seasons as the solo host of a live, daily talk show dishing on 'Hot Topics' and interviewing celebrities."

As for Sherri, she's tried and true ... appearing on "The View," "Dish Nation," and, of course, 'Wendy.'

We got Sherri out Monday night in New York and she was non-committal about the change, saying she was still just a temp.

Wendy was down with Sherri as her temp replacement, although she was hoping to return, but apparently, her health struggles have not gotten better.

The Rock's XFL is making huge moves -- the resurrected football organization is officially partnering with the NFL to help bring positive change to the sport of football ... the league announced Monday.

The new agreement will help both organizations discover innovative ways to improve the game by testing new physical and mental programs for players in the XFL ... as well as trying new rules and other ways to enhance the gameday experience.

In other words, the XFL will essentially be the NFL's guinea pig to see how the game can get better.

The Rock's partner, Dany Garcia, spoke about the big news ... saying, "We are extremely pleased to collaborate with the NFL in these important areas."

"We are bringing forward an XFL that is progressive and forward-thinking when it comes to innovation, leveraging the newest technology to enhance gameday experience."

She added ... "We have an open field for innovative rules to enhance in-game access. Sharing insights and practices between the XFL and NFL will do a tremendous amount of good for the game of football and support the player ecosystem overall."

It's a drastic change from the XFL's previous business model under Vince McMahon ... which originally sought out to be an NFL competitor before eventually declaring for bankruptcy in 2020.

Queen Elizabeth II has faced lots of challenges over the last year ... and now another -- she has COVID.

The 95-year-old monarch is obviously high risk, but so far she's only experiencing mild symptoms ... a cold and not much more, this according to Buckingham Palace.

Ever the hard worker, Q.E.II is continuing to perform "light duties" at Windsor Castle over the next week.

A Palace spokesperson added, "She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines."

From all indications and reports, the Queen is fully vaccinated.

The Queen has had a rough go health-wise over the last year ... she's been hospitalized -- although the Palace never said why. She also sprained her back, which sidelined her from attending a big U.N. meeting. A few days ago she was seen with a cane, mildly joking about her health struggles.

The Queen's not the only one in her fam to be hit by COVID ... Prince Charles tested positive a little more than a week ago, and it's his second bout with the virus. Camilla also tested positive.

A helicopter went down in Miami -- crash landing in the ocean, no less ... and mere feet from swimmers.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon in South Beach, with Miami Beach PD releasing surveillance footage that shows the moment the chopper starts to descend from the sky.

As you can see, it comes into frame out of nowhere ... and then heads straight down into the water incredibly close to the shore. Indeed, it appears there were people out by where the aircraft ended up touching down. Fortunately, it doesn't look like any of them were hit.

People were expectedly shocked from the sight, and it looks like the authorities responded quickly. Jet skis on hand immediately rode out to the site, and eventually ... boats arrived on the scene as well to fish out the passengers and to clear the area.

So far, only two have been hospitalized ... they're said to have actually been in the helicopter, and they were transported in stable condition.

No word on any other injuries so far, or what may have caused this to happen in the first place. It's also unclear what sort of a helicopter this is ... commercial, private or otherwise.

The FAA has been looped in, and an investigation in underway.

Lewis Hamilton says there was zero chance he was going to walk away from Formula 1 in protest after getting screwed over at the end of the 2021 season ... saying it was tough to swallow, but he's ready to "attack" again.

The racing superstar addressed all the speculation surrounding his future at the Mercedes car launch on Friday ... saying, "Well, I never ever said that I was going to stop."

"I love doing what I do, and it is such a privilege working with this large group of people when you really feel like you're part of a family and part of a team and you're working towards that common goal."

Hamilton was rumored to be plotting his exit from F1 after the controversial finish at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December ... when his hopes at another title were crushed due to the mishandling of a safety car with 5 laps to go.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen was able to catch up and beat Hamilton due to the botched call by race director Michael Masi (who was fired over the issue on Thursday) ... preventing the Mercedes driver from passing Michael Schumacher for most F1 titles.

Hamilton says it took some time to get over the incident with the help of his loved ones.

"There's no feeling quite like it," he added. "I needed to ... it was obviously a difficult time for me and it was a time where I really needed to take a step back, focus on being present. So, I had my family all around me and created great moments."

"It eventually got to a point where I decided I was going to be attacking again coming into another season with Toto [Wolff] and [teammate] George [Russell]."

Side note -- Mercedes' 2022 car is looking 🔥🔥🔥!!!

While there was a ton of speculation surrounding Hamilton's future, Wolff says he was never concerned about having to replace Hamilton in 2022.

The possibility of seeing Tiger Woods in this year's Masters is growing slimmer and slimmer ... the golf legend just said he's had "very limited" practice work and still has absolutely no idea when he'll be able to return to the PGA Tour.

Woods spoke with the media Wednesday for the first time since he returned to somewhat competitive golf action at the PNC Championship in December -- and he made it clear, he's a long ways away from battling Phil Mickelson at Augusta in April.

Tiger said he hasn't been able to swing his driver or his other woods as much as he'd like due to the leg injury he suffered in a Feb. 2021 car crash ... and added that walking around a course is still challenging.

"I wish I could tell you when I'm playing again," Woods said ... adding that he still has "a long way to go."

Tiger did say his short game -- chipping, putting, and lower irons -- is good ... and he said when he can use a cart, he's totally fine.

But, Woods made it clear -- he's nowhere near ready to walk a course for a full week at a major championship like the Masters.

As for his injured leg, Tiger joked that's it's certainly altered ... telling one reporter, "My right leg does not look like my left."

As we reported, Woods needed multiple procedures to fix comminuted open fractures in his leg following his wreck in L.A. 12 months ago.