January-February 2026
A major debate over Russia’s place in global sport intensified in early 2026 following comments from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who argued for the lifting of the international football ban on Russia.
In a late January interview, Infantino stated that the nearly four-year-old ban on Russian national teams and clubs enacted following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 “has not achieved anything” and had “just created more frustration and hatred”. He advocated for a FIFA rule change to “enshrine in our statutes that we should actually never ban any country from playing football because of the acts of their political leaders”.
The remarks were swiftly welcomed by the Kremlin, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating, “Our footballers, our national team, must have their rights fully restored”. However, they provoked fury from Ukrainian officials. Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi labelled Infantino’s words “irresponsible” and “infantile,” noting that over 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed since the invasion began. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha added that “679 Ukrainian girls and boys will never be able to play football Russia killed them”.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), whose executive committee has the authority to reinstate Russia in European competitions, planned to discuss the matter at a meeting on 11 February 2026. However, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has previously maintained that Russia’s return could only happen once the war in Ukraine has ended.
The controversy followed a FIFA Council announcement in late January 2025 for a new global Under-15 competition to be held in 2026 and explicitly “open to all 211 FIFA member associations,” which was interpreted as a potential pathway for Russia’s youth teams.
References:
- Deutsche Welle. “FIFA boss Infantino wants Russia to return to football.” dw.com, 3 Feb. 2026. https://www.dw.com/en/fifa-boss-infantino-wants-russia-to-return-to-football/a-75780962
- Al Jazeera. “Russia welcomes Infantino’s comments on lifting ban; Ukraine furious.” aljazeera.com, 3 Feb. 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/2/3/russia-welcomes-infantinos-comments-on-lifting-ban-ukraine-furious
- Yahoo Sports. “Russia in line for return to international football as Fifa announces plans for new competition.” sports.yahoo.com, January 2026. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/russia-line-return-international-football-135634792.html
- Hungarian Conservative. “FIFA President Infantino Calls for Russia Ban to Be Lifted.” hungarianconservative.com, January 2026. https://www.hungarianconservative.com/articles/culture_society/fifa-gianni-infantino-russia-israel-international-ban/
