Former Manchester United and Russian national team player Andrei Kanchelskis expressed the opinion that Russian clubs will not return to the international arena until 2028.

In July, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) refused the RFU, Zenit, Dynamo, Sochi and CSKA to satisfy claims against UEFA and FIFA related to the decision to remove Russian teams from participating in competitions under the auspices of organizations.

— I think that in six years our national team and Russian clubs will again play in Europe. At least two cycles must go through: the World Championship and the European Championship, and the European Cups. Time must pass, therefore, ironically, at least until 2028, we will not be returned anywhere. Six years is our time.

Will legionnaires leave the RPL? If a football player wants to leave, please, but according to the contract he must finish the game. But if he wants to leave, let him leave, what to do. In my understanding, this is: there is a contract and you have to finalize it. Leave or not, the club must decide. Our football clubs have the right to tell them to finalize their contractual agreement, RB Sport quoted Kanchelskis as saying.

Due to the suspension, the Russian men’s team was unable to play in the play-offs for the 2022 World Cup, and the women’s team was suspended from participation in the European Championship 2022. CSKA, Dynamo, Zenit and Sochi will not be able to play in European competition in the 2022/23 season.