FIFA President Infantino has suggested that Russia’s ban on participation in world tournaments should be lifted.
Published February 3, 2026
The Kremlin welcomed FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s comments on lifting Russia’s ban on international soccer competition over the country’s war with Ukraine, but Kiev slammed the president’s words as “irresponsible.”
Infantino, who previously had friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said in an interview on Monday that the ban against Russia “didn’t achieve anything.”
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His comments sparked outrage in Ukraine, where he said the ban should remain in place “as long as Russians continue to kill Ukrainians.”
Russia has been largely banned from international sports since it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We have seen and welcome these statements (by Infantino). The time has come to think about this.”
“Our football players, our national team, must have their rights fully restored…We hope that sooner or later such a discussion will take place at FIFA,” he added.
UEFA’s executive committee, whose next quarterly meeting will be held in Brussels, Belgium, on February 11, has the power to reinstate Russia. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has insisted that for this to happen, the war in Ukraine must end.
Europe’s governing body briefly planned to have Russia qualify for the U-17 continental championship in 2023 because it did not want to punish children for government actions. UEFA relented and upheld the ban after more than a dozen national federations threatened to boycott the match against Russia.
At senior men’s level, Russia has been limited to participation in friendlies, most recently against Chile and Peru in November.
During Infantino’s first term as FIFA president, Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup and reached the quarterfinals.
In an interview with Britain’s Sky News, Infantino said the ban should be lifted, claiming it had “only created further discontent and hatred”.
He said he believed that “it would help if Russian girls and boys could play soccer matches in other parts of Europe.”
Ukraine reacted with fury.
Russia’s attacks on Ukraine have killed thousands, displaced millions, and destroyed much of southern and eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Sports Minister Matvy Bidny criticized Infantino’s comments, calling them “irresponsible” and “infantile.”
“Let me remind you that more than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches were killed in a full-scale invasion by Russia,” he said on social media on Monday.
“679 Ukrainian girls and boys will never be able to play soccer. Russia killed them,” said Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sibikha.
He added: “Even though Russia has failed to end the war, it continues to kill even more people while morally degenerates suggest lifting the ban.”
Several Russian athletes in other sports were recently allowed to compete again under neutral flags.
