Russia to play in first FIFA tournament since Ukraine invasion
Russia is set to compete in an official FIFA competition for the first time since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The under-15 national team will take part in the U-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan next month after being drawn in a group with Turkey, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Sierra Leone and Sudan. The FIFA Council agreed in December that the tournament would be open to all 211 member associations.
ByJavi
4 min read
Russia are set to take part in their first official FIFA competition since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. The boys' under-15 national team has been included in the list of entrants for the U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan next month, confirming a Russian return to an event staged by football's world governing body.
Which group has Russia been drawn in at the U-15 World Cup
The Russian squad has been placed in a group alongside Turkey, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Sierra Leone and Sudan. In December, the FIFA Council determined that the under-15 tournament would be accessible to teams from every one of its 211 member associations, a decision that opened the door to Russian participation despite the sanctions imposed in 2022.
Although the prohibition on Russia's under-17 teams was lifted back in 2023, no Russian side had actually returned to FIFA competition until now. The event in Azerbaijan will therefore mark the country's first genuine step back into international youth football since the war began.
Why FIFA has paved the way for Russia's return
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in February that the ban on Russia had not achieved anything and had simply fostered more frustration and hatred. His comments came months after the International Olympic Committee withdrew, in July, its recommendation for global sports federations such as FIFA to exclude the country.
Ukraine's sports minister Matvii Bidnyi described Infantino's remarks as irresponsible and infantile. "They detach football from the reality in which children are being killed," he said, reflecting the growing unease over Russia's sporting reintegration.
What role has the International Olympic Committee played
The IOC provisionally lifted the suspension on the Russian Olympic Committee in July, a move that appears to have cleared the path for the country's full return to the Olympic fold ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
The Russian Olympic Committee had been suspended in October 2023 for recognising regional Olympic councils in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, namely Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. While the IOC executive board has now removed that suspension, it has yet to decide whether Russia will be allowed to display its flag, colours or hear its anthem at future Games.
How has Russia reacted to the lifting of sanctions
Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the IOC decision and said it should pave the way for a complete return of Russian athletes to the international sporting arena.
Our country's return to the Olympic family is a green light for international federations to reinstate all our athletes.
The Kremlin also described the move as an important step towards bringing Russian competitors back into international events, a process now reflected in the return to football through the under-15 World Cup.
What is at stake for Russia at the U-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan
The tournament carries far more weight than a typical youth championship. For Moscow, taking part in Azerbaijan signals that the sporting isolation is beginning to crack and that other federations may follow FIFA's lead.
For Ukraine and its allies, however, Russian participation represents a premature normalisation that ignores the reality of an ongoing war. The debate over Russia's reintegration into international sport is set to continue as Russian teams gradually reclaim their place on the competitive calendar.
Frequently asked questions about Russia's FIFA return
Frequently asked questions
When did Russia last play in a FIFA tournament?
Russia had not competed in a FIFA-organised tournament since sanctions were imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The U-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan will be their first official participation since then.
Why was the ban on Russian teams lifted?
FIFA lifted the prohibition on Russia's under-17 teams in 2023, and the IOC withdrew its recommendation to ban Russia in July. FIFA president Gianni Infantino argued the ban had achieved nothing and only created frustration.
Will Russia be able to use its flag and anthem at the Olympic Games?
Although the IOC lifted the suspension on the Russian Olympic Committee, it has not yet decided whether Russia may display its flag, colours or hear its anthem at future Games. That decision remains pending.