The President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, opened the door to the possibility of ending the sanctions imposed on Russia in the world of football, considering that the policy of exclusion that was implemented since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 did not achieve the desired results. These statements came in an interview with Sky News, reported by the RMC Sport website.
Since the outbreak of the war, the Russian national team and Russian clubs have been excluded from various international and continental competitions, by a joint decision from FIFA and the European Football Association, which led to Russia’s absence from the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 European Cup, in addition to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. However, Infantino believes today that these sanctions had the opposite effect.
On the other hand, the FIFA president said that preventing Russia from participating “has only led to more frustration and hatred,” adding that allowing Russian children and youth to play football in Europe may be a positive step that contributes to keeping communication channels open. He explained that FIFA is ready to enter into discussions on this issue, without making explicit promises to soon return Russia to the competitions.
On the other hand, the international sports arena is witnessing a gradual return of Russian athletes in some disciplines, such as judo and taekwondo, after some federations eased the imposed restrictions. It seems that FIFA does not want to remain isolated from this trend, especially with the approaching major competitions related to the 2026 World Cup.
Infantino also went further, expressing his desire to amend FIFA’s internal laws, so that it explicitly stipulates that countries will not be punished in football due to the decisions of their political leaders. He stressed that football must remain neutral and not choose a party in international disputes, despite criticism of this position.
In this context, the FIFA President stressed that the role of sports institutions is to preserve ties between peoples, not to sever them, considering that sports can be a bridge for dialogue in times of crisis. But he implicitly acknowledged that any final decision would also remain linked to the position of UEFA, which remains committed to sanctions.
Despite the continuation of the war and the absence of any political solution soon, Infantino’s statements represent a remarkable shift in FIFA’s discourse, and open a wide door to discussion about the future of Russia’s participation in international football, after nearly four years of sporting isolation.
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