The Executive Committee of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has suspended Russia’s national team and its domestic futsal clubs from competitions under UEFA control. This decision has been formally announced by UEFA and stands as a measures-backed response to ongoing geopolitical and sporting considerations affecting Russia.
Reports indicate the Russian men’s futsal team will not participate in the 2024 Futsal World Cup qualifying matches. Russian players will be replaced by players from other nations in the qualifying rounds. Likewise, the Russian women’s national team was barred from the latter stages of the 2022 European Championship, with Hungarian athletes stepping in to compete in their stead. Russia will also not participate in Euro 2023 qualifiers.
Looking back to the 2022/2023 season, UEFA’s sanctioning extended to Russian clubs, which were barred from European competitions, and the Russian national team was not scheduled to compete in the Nations League. As a consequence, the national team was positioned in a difficult standings scenario, ultimately facing relegation implications and a lowest-placed finish in the group stages of those competitions.
On February 28, FIFA and UEFA jointly decided to exclude all Russian clubs and the national team from participation in all competitions governed by these bodies. That broad exclusion aligns with the ongoing stance adopted by European football authorities in response to broader events and their impact on the sport.
Valery Karpin, the former head coach of Rostov and the Russian national team, has offered opinions on UEFA’s decision, reflecting on its implications for Russian football and its players, coaches, and development programs. His perspectives contribute to the ongoing dialogue about the consequences of these sanctions and the potential paths forward for Russian football in international competition. (Attribution: collective statements from UEFA and FIFA, and public remarks from identified coaches and officials.)