The Tajikistan Football Federation confirmed that the Russian national team plans to take part in the first Central Asian Football Federation (CAFA) championship, scheduled for the summer.
According to the federation’s press secretary, Faridun Saliev, the Russian side will compete in the inaugural CAFA event from June 9 to 21, featuring the men’s national squads. The tournament will also involve teams from Tajikistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan. Officials indicated that Russia had been invited to play against an Asian nation as well as one of the regional teams.
This development follows FIFA and UEFA decisions that exclude the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from participation in competitions governed by those bodies. The controversy surrounding Russia’s status in international football remains a point of debate in the football community.
On January 24, a meeting took place in Nyon, Switzerland, where representatives of the Russian Football Union and UEFA discussed the path forward for Russia’s clubs and national teams to rejoin international tournaments. The talks produced an agreement on procedures and the prospect of renewed cooperation, with high-level officials from FIFA and the International Olympic Committee expected to attend the next session.
In another development, Artem Dzyuba, the former striker of Moscow’s Lokomotiv, stated that he has not ruled out future involvement with the Russian national team. He indicated that he was not called up for the March training camp or for forthcoming friendlies against Iran and Iraq, leaving the door open for potential selection at a later date.