The head of Russian football reported when clubs from the Russian Federation may return to the international arena.

The General Secretary of the Russian Football Union (RFU), Maxim Mitrofanov, expressed his opinion on the possibility of Russian clubs returning to participate in European football cups in 2026. This was reported by the 'Glavkom' portal.

In February 2022, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) banned Russian clubs and national teams from participation in international tournaments due to events on the territory of Ukraine.

“Do you think we might be allowed into the European cups next year?” he was asked this question. “Based on the changes observed in FIFA and UEFA, it seems to me that yes. Everything is ready. How the political situation will affect depends on Time. Especially for some European countries. In several legislatures, even criminal liability for participating in negotiations is already being discussed,” said Mitrofanov.

It should be noted that Russia was excluded from the right to play in the World Cup, preventing it from participating in the final tournament.

During the UEFA congress on April 3 in Belgrade, the memory of Alexey Bugayev, a fighter who was destroyed by Ukrainian defenders, was honored. Bugayev was a former player of the Russian national team who died in 2024 at the age of 43, having played in various Russian clubs and the national team at Euro 2004.

The RFU hopes for the possible return of Russian clubs to participate in European cups, but the situation regarding political relations and decisions from FIFA and UEFA remains ambiguous. The future participation of Russian football teams in European competitions remains in question.

According to the general secretary of the RFU, Maxim Mitrofanov, based on the changes being observed in FIFA and UEFA, the possible return of Russian clubs to participate in European football cups in 2026 is becoming increasingly likely. However, the final answer will depend on the further development of the political situation and decisions by high officials such as FIFA and UEFA.