FIFA President Gianni Infantino has voiced support for Russia’s return to international football – if a peace agreement with Ukraine is reached – calling it “something we must hope for.”
Since invading Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been effectively banned from all FIFA and UEFA competitions at both club and national levels.
With the United States pushing for a peace deal, Infantino expressed his desire to see Russia reintegrated into the global football community as soon as possible.
Speaking at UEFA’s annual congress in Belgrade, he reflected on football’s unifying power, recalling the golden generation that won the 1992 European Championship.
“Because of politics, the Serbia team was denied access to the European Championship. They certainly had a team to win, but they were denied access.
“We always have to try to use football to bring people together, to bring countries together, especially in our world, which is divided.
“As talks are going on for peace in Ukraine, I hope we can soon move to the next stage and bring back Russia in the football landscape, because this would mean everything is solved.
“That is what we have to cheer for, that is what we have to pray for, because that is what football is about.”
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, who backed an effort to allow Russian under-17 teams to return to competition in 2023, also spoke about the need for unity without explicitly referencing the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
“We are told that we have never been so divided,” he said in his address to the congress.
“Every day we hear what feels like a nonstop refrain – us versus them.
“When we hear this day in and day out, it’s easy to believe. But let me tell you, my friends, this division is but an illusion and a terribly common tactic, a deliberate and obvious ploy by those who seek to divide us, to divide and conquer.
“European football must continue to stand as a model for unity in this increasingly divided world.”
Thursday marked the final day of the four-year term on UEFA’s executive committee for Russian Football Federation President Alexander Dyukov, who opted not to stand for reelection.
Ukrainian federation President Andriy Shevchenko – who has spoken about the devastation wrought on his country’s sporting infrastructure by the Russian invasion – was unsuccessful in his campaign to be elected to the executive committee for a two-year term.
The successful candidates were Rafael Louzan of Spain and Israeli FA President Moshe Zuares.