Russia Maintains FIFA Vote While Teams Remain Banned

The Russian Football Union (RFU) continues to hold a vote in FIFA presidential elections even though Russian national teams have been barred from major international competitions since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia from World Cup qualifiers and other tournaments after initially considering conditional participation under a neutral name.

FIFA has not revoked Russia’s membership, allowing the RFU to attend the FIFA Congress and cast ballots. The issue is drawing attention ahead of the next FIFA presidential election, where incumbent Gianni Infantino faces pressure after his proposal to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial operations was rejected by UEFA. Each vote could be decisive, and Russia may rally a small bloc of supportive associations, highlighting ongoing tensions between football’s governing bodies and European federations opposed to Russia’s reintegration.