FIFA has decided on the fate of Russia national football team in 2026 World Cup

The International Football Federation (FIFA) has announced the pots of the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The Russian national team is not among them.

Thus, FIFA has extended the sanctions imposed on the country for its military aggression against Ukraine. FIFA and UEFA decided to suspend Russia from all international football competitions back in February 2022.

At the time, the federations said that Russian teams and clubs would not participate in tournaments under their auspices "until further notice." This exclusion deprived Russia of the chances to play at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and affected European club tournaments.

For the European qualifying draw, the teams were divided into five pots. The first one included the strongest teams according to the results of the Nations League and the FIFA rankings, including France, England, Germany, and Italy. Ukraine turned out to be in the second pot together with Sweden, Poland, and Turkey.

Russia's absence from the tournament confirms that the country's international isolation in football continues. The decision signals the sporting community's solidarity with Ukraine and condemnation of the full-scale invasion that has led to extensive sanctions against Russian in terms of sport and other major fields.

The final draw will take place on December 13, and the qualifying tournament itself will last from March to November 2025.

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