The Russia question may cause a serious split between the two most influential organizations in world football. UEFA is ready to block Russian teams from returning to international football competitions after the International Olympic Committee temporarily lifted Russia's disqualification, The Guardian reports.
Russia has killed 660 Ukrainian athletes and coaches and destroyed more than 800 sports facilities since its full-scale war in February 2022.
Ukraine, England, Poland, Latvia, and Sweden threatened to boycott UEFA competitions involving Russian teams. UEFA has not officially commented, but sources in several national associations said there is no realistic prospect of Russian teams returning to European football.
That also affects the World Cup, because UEFA runs the qualifying tournament for the FIFA event. Major Western European associations, including England, Germany, and France, remain categorically opposed to Russia's return.
The IOC's provisional reinstatement of Russia's Olympic committee on 7 July prompted EU officials to demand that the IOC be stripped of funding. The IOC decision paves the way for Russians to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
It joins a pattern of sports federations quietly restoring Russia one by one: the International Gymnastics Federation scrapped all its restrictions in May 2026 without explanation, wrestling restored Russian flags and anthems the same month alongside muay thai, sambo, judo, and taekwondo, and chess let Russian teams back in December to Kremlin applause. UEFA is now the holdout.
UEFA suspended Russia in 2022 for technical reasons
FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia after its February 2022 full-scale war. But the suspension was not moral. At least 12 European associations refused to play matches against Russian teams, with the count expected to rise to 18. UEFA and FIFA had to choose between excluding 12 teams or one. They chose to preserve the competition's integrity by suspending Russia.
The 2022 boycott of Russia has since become UEFA's structural constraint. Any move to restore Russia risks the same 12-plus boycott that forced the original suspension.
FIFA workaround has European boycott catch
Even if FIFA takes a radical step by allowing Russia to qualify for the World Cup through another confederation, as Israel does through Europe, the split may remain. European teams could threaten to boycott the World Cup if Russia qualifies.
