The president of the Russian Football Union (RFU), Alexander Dyukov, disclosed the planned next opponent for Russia’s national team in a forthcoming friendly. His remarks were reported by Match TV.
He stated that a match with Serbia is scheduled for March and would take place on Russian soil. An agreement has been signed and UEFA has given its consent, though he cautioned that circumstances could still change.
Dyukov emphasized that there is a binding contract, but he could not guarantee outcomes with absolute certainty. He asked what other assurances could be expected beyond a signed contract, recalling a previous situation with Bosnia and Herzegovina where only one agreement existed and there was no time to formalize a contract beforehand.
In spring 2022, FIFA and UEFA suspended the participation of Russia’s national team and all Russian clubs in their competitions. Since then, Russian teams have played only as friendlies against foreign opponents as part of a broader pause from the regular international calendar governed by these bodies.
During 2023, Valery Karpin’s team earned draws against Iran (1-1), Qatar (1-1) and Kenya (2-2), and secured wins over Iraq (2-0), Cameroon (1-0), and Cuba (8-0). The results reflected a period of adjustment as the national team navigated the changing international landscape and competitive opportunities available outside the usual UEFA and FIFA frameworks.
There have been previous discussions within the RFU about potential shifts in geographic alignment, including consideration of moving more matches toward Asia, a topic that has surfaced periodically as part of strategic planning and scheduling debates. The organization has weighed multiple scenarios as it plans future fixtures, responder concerns, and development goals for domestic and international competition.