The president of the Russian Football Union, Alexander Dyukov, commented to “Sport-Express” regarding the potential participation of the Russian national team in the 2026 World Cup.
— If UEFA and FIFA lift the restrictions, what criteria will we need to meet to qualify for the World Cup?
— If FIFA and UEFA lift the ban, we could discuss the inclusion of our team in one of the not yet fully formed qualifying groups. But first, as I mentioned, UEFA and FIFA must completely remove the restrictions.
In February 2022, UEFA and FIFA suspended Russian clubs and national teams from participating in international tournaments.
The qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup will begin in March 2025 and conclude in November of the same year. Teams will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each, with group winners earning spots in the World Cup. The four remaining slots will be determined later in playoffs involving 16 teams: 12 national teams that finish second in their groups and the four best teams from the 2024/25 Nations League that did not qualify directly for the World Cup.
The tournament will take place in three countries— the USA, Mexico, and Canada— from June 11 to July 19, 2026. A total of 16 European teams will be able to qualify for it.