The Bulgaria-Malta World Cup qualifier scheduled to be played in Sofia on 22 March is to be played behind closed doors.
Bulgaria as well as Hungary were both sanctioned by FIFA for racial abuse and the two countries were also fined around $40,000 each yesterday after fans aimed racist and anti-Semitic abuse at opposing teams.
The punishments were announced as players and anti-discrimination groups demand tougher action against incidents at stadiums, including in Italy and Serbia.
“FIFA strongly condemns all forms of racism in football, and any form of discrimination will not be tolerated and will receive a strong response by the relevant FIFA authorities,” world football’s governing body said in a statement.
FIFA fined Bulgaria 35,000 Swiss francs ($38,000) and Hungary 40,000 Swiss francs ($43,400).
Bulgaria fans made monkey chants at Denmark defender Patrick Mtiliga, who is black, during a World Cup qualifier in Sofia on 12 October.
Hungary fans directed anti-Semitic slogans and reportedly displayed Iran flags to insult Israel at a 15 August friendly in Budapest. Hungary’s punishment applies when neighbouring Romania visits on 22 March.
However, FIFA declined to take World Cup qualifying points from
either team as its disciplinary code allows, and which would have severely damaged the two teams’ chances of advancing to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Bulgaria and Hungary are in second place in their respective groups, which would be enough to earn a place in the European playoffs in November.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said last week that “sanctions must be a deduction of points or something similar” to uphold the governing body’s zero-tolerance stance on racism and discrimination.
Blatter spoke out at the weekend after AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng led teammates to protest at racial abuse by opposing fans by walking off the pitch and force a friendly against fourth-tier Italian club Pro Patria to be abandoned.
At the FIFA player of the year awards on Monday, Blatter said Boateng was “strong and courageous” but that players leaving the field “cannot be the solution in the long term.”
FIFA was helped in taking its latest action by the European fans’ network FARE, which sends anti-discrimination monitors to high-risk matches.
Denmark also complained to FIFA after second-half substitute Mtiliga, whose father is from Tanzania, was abused by Bulgaria fans during the 1-1 draw.
The Bulgarian Football Union was fined €40,000 by UEFA for racist abuse by fans directed at England winger Ashley Young in their European Championship qualifier in September 2011.