Russia is set to make its return to FIFA competition for the first time since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with its Under-15 team included among the participants at next month’s FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan.
The tournament, which is being held for the first time, will take place in Baku and is scheduled to begin in October. FIFA confirmed that the new youth competition is open to all 211 member associations, with the inaugural edition featuring boys’ teams.
Russian clubs and national teams were suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions following the invasion of Ukraine. Although FIFA removed the restriction affecting Russian Under-17 teams in 2023, no Russian side had subsequently taken part in a FIFA competition.
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Russia’s Under-15 team has been placed in a group alongside Turkey, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Sierra Leone and Sudan.
The development has drawn a strong reaction from Ukraine. Ukrainian Youth and Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi criticised Russia’s inclusion and called on other countries to boycott the tournament.
Bidnyi argued that allowing the Russian team to participate, particularly while displaying official national symbols, amounted to giving Moscow an international platform. He also pointed to the continuing impact of the war on Ukrainian children.
“We express our gratitude to Iceland and Germany for refusing to participate in this festival,” Bidnyi said, while urging other national football associations to take a similar position.
He also called on FIFA to maintain its 2022 suspension of Russia across all levels of international football.
The FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival is a new youth competition designed to give young players from FIFA member associations the opportunity to participate in international football. The 2026 edition will feature an 8-a-side format, with nearly 1,000 matches scheduled across the event.
The tournament is scheduled to be staged in Baku, with the Hovsan Competition Complex hosting most of the matches and the Crystal Hall set to stage the finals.
The return of a Russian team to a FIFA event comes amid continuing debate within international sport over sanctions against Russia. In recent months, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has questioned the effectiveness of Russia’s exclusion, while Ukrainian officials have continued to oppose any relaxation of restrictions.
Russia’s participation in Azerbaijan will therefore mark a significant development in the country’s sporting relationship with FIFA since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
