Russia (foto: Uradni Twitter profil kluba/zveze)
UEFA and FIFA are set to confirm Russia’s exclusion from the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers due to the country’s ongoing suspension following the invasion of Ukraine.
UEFA and FIFA are set to confirm that the Russian national team remains suspended from international competitions. The decision, originally imposed in February 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has now been extended to include the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
According to the Russian newspaper Sports Expressen, a source from the country's football federation confirmed the continuation of the ban. This means that Russia will not be among the 54 UEFA nations participating in the qualification draw on December 13, where teams will be split into 12 groups vying for 16 direct spots in the World Cup.
Since the start of the conflict, FIFA and UEFA have excluded all Russian teams—national and club, male and female—from international tournaments. This marks the third major competition Russia will miss after being barred from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 European Championship in Germany.
Russia’s continued absence underscores the far-reaching consequences of the geopolitical conflict on the country's participation in global sports.