“The RFU is faced with the task of achieving the participation of the Russian team in the selection of the 2026 World Cup” – Dyukov

President of the Russian Football Union (RFU) Alexander Dyukov said that the organization currently has a goal to achieve the participation of the Russian team in the selection for the 2026 World Cup.

RFU on December 30 at the executive committee decided to create a working group to return clubs and national teams to official tournaments.

– How long should it take to return to the option of moving to Asia?

– A difficult question. I can’t say that we are ready to wait a long time. I’m not ready to wait long. As for the other members of the executive committee, you should ask them. What is the acceptable waiting time for them? Two, three, five years? Everyone has their own rating. It is important for us to take part in the selection for the 2026 World Cup and try to pass it. This is the task I set myself.

– Moving to Asia does not guarantee participation in the selection for the 2026 World Cup. It’s true?

— Yes, we can move, but no one can guarantee that we will take part in the selection of the 2026 World Cup. Only FIFA can give such a guarantee.

– AFC has officially confirmed that it is ready to accept us?

– The Asian Confederation confirms that they are ready to receive us. As for letters of guarantee, this is not accepted. But we have no reason not to trust AFC.

— When were the last contacts with FIFA?

– Yesterday. This week was used by the executive committee to study and weigh everything. Everyone had to speak. There have been certain consultations with international football regulators.

What is the mood of the regulators?

— Be set to find some solution and enable Russian clubs and national teams to start returning to official tournaments. Everyone is interested in this.

– Is there any certainty that UEFA will not include people in the working group who can “blur” the issue?

– I’m not sure. But I do not think that they will try to “blur” this issue. I see their attitude to find a solution,” Dyukov said. whose words are quoted by Match TV.

FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian clubs and national teams from tournaments under their auspices due to the situation in Ukraine.