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Russian national teams and clubs from the Russian Federation will not take part in UEFA-run international tournaments in the 2026/27 season.
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The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has extended the suspension of Russian teams from its competitions.
“The UEFA Executive Committee has amended the list of entrants for the 2026/27 season in order to bring it into line with the current suspension of Russian national teams and clubs from UEFA competitions. The list of participants has also been adjusted to reflect competition results, namely the redistribution of titleholder places and access via the European performance-based quota,” reads (source in Russian) the organisation’s official document.
In early June, the Ukrainian Association of Football, the country’s National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports jointly sent an official appeal to the leadership of FIFA and UEFA, urging the international football authorities not to alter the existing sanctions against Russia and to impose similar restrictions on Belarus.
In late February 2022, after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA decided to suspend Russia from competitions. The Russian national team lost the chance to compete for a place at the World Cup in Qatar through the play-offs, and Russian Premier League clubs were excluded from European club competitions.
On the back of last season, Russia slipped to 28th place in UEFA’s coefficient rankings, but in theory could still have entered four teams in European club tournaments.
The Russian national team now only plays friendly matches. Its most recent opponents on the pitch have been the national sides of Burkina Faso, Egypt, Mali and Nicaragua.
In September 2023, UEFA’s Executive Committee decided to allow Russia’s youth teams (under-17s) to return to competition, but the decision was reversed in October.
Russian sports commentators acknowledge that the “isolation is slowly but surely leading to the decline of football” in the country.
At the same time, it is noted that UEFA has not wiped out Russia’s ranking, instead awarding it the minimum possible coefficient each season, and is honouring its financial commitments on solidarity payments and the development of youth and grassroots football.
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