The Central Asian Football Federation has responded to rumors that the Russian national team might decline participation in its upcoming regional tournament. A CAFA source close to the talks indicated that no formal notice of withdrawal had been received and that Russia was still expected to compete in the summer event.
CAFA representatives stressed that at this moment there is no official communication from the Russian Football Union about pulling out, and consequently the summer competition remains on the schedule for the Russian side.
In mid-2023 there were reports suggesting that Russia could be involved in the CAFA championship. The day before, the Iranian Football Federation had stated that all participants in the CAFA event were supportive of Russia joining the tournament.
It is worth recalling that for more than a year the Russian team has faced restrictions on official meetings and has not taken part in international matches. In early 2022, both FIFA and UEFA decided to suspend Russian clubs and the national team from all competitions governed by these bodies.
During the suspension, Russia did play several friendlies against Asian teams as part of outreach to maintain competitive activity and keep players match-ready for future opportunities.
Valery Karpin, who previously coached the Russian national team, commented on the reports regarding the possible refusal of the team to participate in the CAFA tournament, offering his perspective on the ongoing discussions and the competitive implications for Russian football.