The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the second-consecutive edition of the men’s tournament without Russia on the pitch. Still, FIFA president Gianni Infantino is pushing for the nation’s reintroduction to global soccer despite the ongoing conflicts.
The soccer teams of the Russian Football Union have been suspended by FIFA since 2022, after the country’s invasion and ongoing military efforts in Ukraine. They were expelled from the Qatar 2022 World Cup later that year and have not played competitive matches since then on the men’s, women’s or youth sides. Russia has played unofficial friendlies, hosting willing teams, including Mali, Nicaragua, Peru, Chile and Iran for matches inside and outside of official FIFA windows.
