Russia opens new conflict between UEFA and FIFA

The Russia issue could open a new major divide between the two most powerful organizations in world football.

The International Olympic Committee temporarily lifted Russia's suspension from international sports competitions yesterday, and then different signals came from UEFA and FIFA.

The World Football Federation has indicated that it will reconsider its stance after banning clubs and national teams from Ukraine four years ago due to the Russian invasion of that country.

At the same time, UEFA is ready to block their return again.

The Guardian writes that although the European Football Association has not yet made an official statement, sources from several national associations state that there is no realistic possibility of Russian football returning to Europe, and therefore not to the World Cup.

"Although the World Cup is under the jurisdiction of FIFA, the European qualifiers are organized by UEFA. Many of the largest Western European associations, including England, Germany and France, remain strongly opposed to Russia's return," the aforementioned media outlet writes.

UEFA was forced to abandon plans to return Russian national teams to youth competitions three years ago after at least 12 of its member associations opposed it, and now it does not want a similar situation to happen again.

"President Aleksandar Čeferin is seeking a new mandate next year, so it is difficult to expect that he will risk alienating a large part of the membership that elects him," the Guardian emphasized.

On the other hand, Fifa is more open to Russia's inclusion.

"President Gianni Infantino has made it clear that he would welcome the country's return. He continues to maintain close relations with Vladimir Putin, with whom he worked on the organisation of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and helped secure the Russian under-15 team's participation in last October's World Youth Championship in Azerbaijan," the British newspaper writes.

Infantino announced back in February that FIFA would consider reintegrating Russian teams.

"This ban has achieved nothing, it has only created more frustration and hatred," he said at the time.

At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Russian Football Union announced that they could become a member of the Asian Confederation in the future.

"Even if FIFA were to make a radical move and allow Russia to play World Cup qualifiers through another continental confederation, as is the case with Israel, which competes in Europe, that might not solve the problem, as European teams could threaten a boycott if Russia qualified for the World Cup."

The relationship between FIFA and UEFA further soured this week after FIFA's Disciplinary Committee scandalously lifted the suspension of Folarin Balogun ahead of his United States' match against Belgium. UEFA accused FIFA of crossing a "red line" and undermining the integrity of the World Cup, to which FIFA responded with accusations of hypocrisy.