Almost a third of Russian fans (37%) have a positive attitude towards foreign players in Russian Premier League matches (RPL), another 27% are neutral. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by an analytical center VTsIOMpublished on the organization’s website.
“When assessing the attitude of most fans towards the presence of foreign players in their favorite club, respondents most often described it as positive (37%), neutral for 27% and only negative for 17%,” the study states.
According to the survey, 67% of respondents believe that foreign players bring useful professional experience, 49% of fans see an improvement in the quality of tournaments. Furthermore, fans note the high entertainment value of matches with the participation of foreign players (60%).
The fans interviewed believe that foreign players have a positive effect on the preparation of the national team and also contribute to its development RPLincreasing competition within teams (57%) and the level of play of young Russian footballers (52%).
As noted in the study, respondents believe that tightening limits on foreign players is important RPL It will open up more opportunities for young domestic players (55%), contribute to the long-term development of football in the country (32%), reduce clubs’ costs on foreign player contracts (28%) and attract clubs’ attention to national academies and schools (27%).
All-Russian telephone survey “VTsIOM-sputnik” took place on December 9 and 10, 2025. 1,023 people took part in the survey.
