Does UEFA know? Russia announces return to European tournaments in 2024

Starting in 2024, Russian teams will be able to compete again in tournaments under the auspices of the European Football Union (UEFA), from which they were expelled after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We are talking about youth competitions, which representatives of the aggressor country called "unsatisfactory results of negotiations."

This was stated by the president of the Russian Football Union (RFU), Alexander Dyukov, in a commentary to the propaganda channel Match TV. According to him, the return of youth teams to UEFA tournaments was one of the main factors behind the RFU's refusal to move to Asia.

"At the moment, there is some progress in relations with UEFA. In particular, our youth teams will be allowed to compete in 2024. Of course, we are not completely satisfied with the results of the negotiations. We have some time to make decisions. The option to change the confederation will not go away. This option exists. We can use this opportunity if not this year, then next year," Dyukov said.

It should be noted that in September, UEFA announced the inclusion of Russian national teams in the qualifying tournaments for the European Youth Championships. After that, 12 associations declared a boycott of teams from Russia, forcing UEFA to reverse its decision.

Earlier, UEFA did not include the Russian national team in the new Nations League draw, which will be one of the stages of qualification for the 2026 World Cup. And former Russian Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin called the decision of UEFA and FIFA to suspend the Russians from international tournaments a disgrace.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused UEFA of discrimination after the Russian national team was not allowed to participate in the new Nations League draw.

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