Former Russian national team footballer and former Moscow Spartak coach Dmitry Alenichev weighed in on the potential shift of the Russian Football Union to the Asian Confederation. He spoke about what such a move would mean for the sport in Russia and for the country’s clubs and players in the near term.
Alenichev expressed a clear stance against joining the Asian Football Confederation. He suggested that competing against the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City would be preferable to facing Asian clubs, at least in the short term. Yet he also acknowledged a possible reality if sanctions extended for many years. In that scenario, participating in Asian football might become more practical to ensure competitive play and continuity for the national team and its players.
Historically, the football world saw major upheaval in early 2022 when FIFA and UEFA decided to ban the Russian national team and Russian clubs from competitions governed by those bodies. The move significantly reduced Russia’s access to major events and disrupted the rhythm of domestic and international matches, prompting leaders to consider long-term strategic options.
By the end of 2022, the RFU faced a pivotal decision about whether to move toward the Asian Confederation. The executive committee chose to form a working group to study the implications closely and to propose recommendations on whether such a transition should proceed. The discussion emphasized weighing sporting, financial, and administrative consequences before any final steps were taken, especially given the potential fallout from a split with UEFA and the broader European football community.
In the following months, the RFU and UEFA began to reestablish lines of communication. A working meeting took place to examine possible avenues for continued dialogue and to outline plans for further discussions. The parties signaled that they would maintain regular contact and pursue concrete discussions at future gatherings involving officials from both organizations, aiming to clarify positions and explore feasible pathways within the evolving football landscape.
Earlier, UEFA extended an invitation to RFU Vice-President Alexander Alaev for participation in meetings related to futsal and beach soccer, underscoring ongoing engagement at the governance level and the importance of maintaining cooperation across different formats of the game. The broader question, however, remained how Russia would align with global football governance if sanctions persisted and European competition remained out of reach for a prolonged period.