In a statement carried by Match TV, former Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov argued that Crimean football clubs should compete within the Russian Championship. He emphasized that Crimea has to be integrated into Russia’s football framework and that the teams from the peninsula deserve a place in the national league. Kolobkov suggested that although negotiations could be lengthy and demanding, there was little choice but to pursue a path that would bring Crimean clubs into Russia’s football calendar.
Meanwhile, the National Football League (FNL) Commission moved to grant licenses to the teams Sevastopol and Rubin from Yalta, designating them for potential entry into the Second Division B League. This step signals a concrete move toward aligning Crimean clubs with the broader Russian football system, subject to the formal approvals and administrative processes that govern league participation.
Any decision to integrate Crimean clubs into the Russian championship has wide-ranging implications, including potential sanctions from international bodies. The sport’s governing architecture rests with FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which have previously excluded Russia from competitions under their purview. The evolving status of Crimean clubs thus sits at the intersection of domestic sports policy and international regulatory responses, a factor that regional federations and clubs must weigh as plans advance.
Alexander Dyukov, who formerly led the Russian Football Union (RFU), has remarked that the ultimate call rests with the FNL to determine whether Crimean clubs can become participants in Russian football. This stance highlights the layered decision-making process, where a national league body must reconcile domestic ambitions with international sport governance and the realities of compliance with broader sanctions regimes and federation rules. The trajectory of this issue will depend on the outcomes of upcoming meetings, licensing decisions, and the alignment of club preparations with league requirements [Source: Match TV].