Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine continues in full force. But voices have long been heard in football for the return of Russian teams - and especially from FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
One of them is UEFA, which has not yet responded to a request sent to it.
Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine continues in full force. But voices have long been heard in football for the return of Russian teams - and especially from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, writes ARD.
Infantino: "The sooner, the better"
In February, in an interview with the Swiss publication "Weltwoche" Infantino said: "We will have to specifically study how Russia can be included again. Sport must always unite". Athletes, fans and children are not to blame for political decisions. Sport must remain a bridge. "The sooner everyone can participate in World Cups, the better", the Swiss also said.
This statement of his caused a lot of criticism from politicians in Europe. Infantino still holds the Russian "Order of Friendship", awarded to him by Putin in 2019 as a sign of gratitude for hosting the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the German publication recalls.
In front of the British television channel Sky, the FIFA chief explained at the time that the exclusion of the Russian teams "definitely should be lifted" - at least for the youth teams. Infantino's arguments: "This has not led to anything, but only fueled even more frustration and hatred between girls and boys".
UEFA has previously spoken out in support of Russia's return, but the president of the European Football Association, Aleksander Ceferin, recently made it a condition for this to end the war against Ukraine.
The suspension is not because of the war
Russian teams have not participated in international sporting events since the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2022, but not because of the war: UEFA and FIFA do not cite Russia's military aggression as a reason, but, for example, "security considerations" and "the smooth running of the matches".
In this regard, ARD recalls that immediately after the start of the Russian offensive against Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA initially tried to allow Russia to compete without a flag and anthem, under the name "Football Union of Russia", not "Russia". However, a large number of European associations refused to play against Russia, and the two football federations were left with no choice but to suspend the participation of Russian teams in the competitions. The Russian Federation unsuccessfully appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. However, Russia's eventual return in 2026 will also depend largely on the willingness of other teams to play Russia, the German public media outlet explains.
Due to the ban, the Russian men's team missed the 2022 World Cup, the 2024 European Championship and now the 2026 World Cup. Qualifying for the 2028 European Championship has not yet begun.
The current rules for UEFA's European club competitions for the 2026/27 season do not include Russia as a participant. Technically, the Russian Federation remained a full member of UEFA and FIFA even after the start of the Russian aggression: the President of the Russian Federation, Alexander Dyukov, a manager at "Gazprom", connected to the head of state Vladimir Putin, was part of the influential UEFA Executive Committee until April 2025, and Russian officials continue to be represented in the lower bodies of FIFA and UEFA to this day.
And one more touch on the subject, ARD recalls: the two federations have not stopped transferring the usual payments to Moscow in the amount of millions. They argue that these funds promote "the development of football" in their respective countries.