CREDIT: Rob Swan
Feb 13, 2026
UEFA has made a decision on Russia’s ban from football after FIFA President Gianni Infantino suggested the exiled nation should be allowed back into the sport.
Russia was initially suspended from all football competitions by FIFA and UEFA in February 2022 following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. They were kicked out of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and were unable to participate in qualifying for Euro 2024 or the upcoming 2026 World Cup in North America.
Ahead of this summer’s World Cup finals, however, Infantino confirmed FIFA will “definitely” consider lifting Russia’s suspension.
“We have to, because this ban has not achieved anything,” Infantino said, “it has just created more frustration and hatred.
“Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help.”
Infantino received strong criticism from various politicians in Ukraine, including sports minister Matvii Bidnyi, who called the FIFA president “irresponsible” and “infantile”. He said Infantino’s comments “detach football from the reality in which children are being killed. Let me remind you that since the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression, more than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by Russians. Among them were more than one hundred footballers.”
But the Kremlin welcomed Infantino’s comments, hoping it might lead to a return to global football’s biggest competitions.
“We have seen these statements [by Infantino], and we welcome them. It’s high time to think about this,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, per Al Jazeera. “Our footballers, our national team, must have their rights fully restored … We hope that sooner or later such discussions will take place in FIFA.”
UEFA have the power to reinstate Russia and the topic was brought up in the organisation’s quarterly meeting in Belgium this week. However, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has confirmed that European football’s governing body currently have no plans to bring Russia back into the international fold, despite Infantino’s comments.
