The European Commission and Ukraine's sports minister have strongly criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposal to lift the ban on Russian teams in international football. The ban, imposed in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, remains in place amid ongoing conflict. Infantino argues the exclusion has only bred frustration, but opponents highlight the war's human cost.
FIFA's consideration to reverse its ban on Russia has ignited fierce backlash across Europe and Ukraine. On December 17, 2025, the FIFA Council announced plans for a new U-15 festival in 2026 for boys and 2027 for girls, open to all 211 member associations, following an International Olympic Committee recommendation to allow junior-level participation under national flags. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, in a Sky News interview, stated the ban "has not achieved anything and has created more frustration and hatred," suggesting it could help Russian youth integrate through sport.
The European Commission swiftly opposed the move. Spokesperson Eva Hrncirova emphasized on February 6, 2026, that "peace was a fundamental value of international competitions," which Russia has failed to uphold amid its aggression against Ukraine. Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef echoed this, warning that reinstating aggressors "ignores real security risks and deep pain caused by the war."
Ukraine's Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi labeled Infantino's comments "irresponsible, even childish," on February 3, 2026, arguing they detach football from the reality of killed children. He cited over 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches dead since 2022, including more than 100 footballers, such as 10th-grader Illia Perezhogin, struck by a Russian missile in Mariupol, and futsal player Viktoriia Kotliarova, killed in Kyiv on December 29, 2023. Bidnyi insisted, "As long as Russia continues to kill Ukrainians and politicize sports, their flags and national symbols have no place among people who respect values such as justice, integrity, and fair play."
The ban, enacted by FIFA and UEFA in 2022 under pressure from governments and federations, excludes Russia from events like the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Russia last competed in the 2018 World Cup it hosted. While the Russian Football Federation, led by Alexander Dyukov, welcomes the junior initiative and eyes UEFA discussions in Brussels, UEFA officials express skepticism, fearing other nations may refuse to play Russia without a political resolution.
Infantino's stance follows his receipt of Russia's Order of Friendship after the 2018 tournament and a controversial peace prize awarded to US President Donald Trump in December 2025. The debate underscores football's role in signaling global accountability during conflict.
