The president of FIFA, the governing body of world football, Gianni Infantino, expressed hope that Russia would participate in international competitions again. He mentioned this in an interview with The Guardian in response to US President Donald Trump's remarks that he was unaware of the ban on Russian football teams participating in international tournaments.
“Currently, Russian clubs and national teams are banned from playing internationally. However, we express confidence that this situation will improve and peace will be established. After that, Russian players and clubs will be allowed to participate in international competitions again,” said the FIFA president.
Gianni Infantino also hopes that sports will be free from politics and that peace and friendly relations between countries and nations will be strengthened through football. He emphasized that FIFA will always strive to remain a means of solidarity and peace in international competitions.
It is known that due to the situation in Ukraine, Russian football teams have been deprived of the right to participate in international tournaments organized by UEFA and FIFA since 2022. This ban applies not only to national teams but also to all club teams in the country.
As a result, the Russian national team missed the opportunity to participate in the World Cup held in Qatar in 2022. Additionally, clubs from the country have also been excluded from the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.
Infantino's statement may indicate that new opportunities could open up for Russian football. If peace is established in the international situation, the restoration of Russia's place in world football is not out of the question.
The FIFA president's remarks have drawn the attention of the international community and have further strengthened fans' hopes for the return of Russian clubs and the national team to major competitions soon.
It is worth noting that recently, US President Donald Trump emphasized that it is possible to improve relations between countries through sports, and therefore he is not against the participation of Russian teams in international football competitions.
So far, FIFA and the international community have not announced a date for Russia's return to international football. However, negotiations in this direction and improvements in the international situation may provide new opportunities for Russian football.
