UEFA, the football governing body in Europe, will hold a tournament under its aegis in Russia for the first time since Russia’s football was banned from all international competitions shortly after the Ukraine War had started, RBC Sport says citing the Russian Football Union.
“An international UEFA development tournament for juvenile teams is planned to be held in Volgograd in May 2023. The arrangements were made with UEFA several months ago,” Russian football officials say.
The sources within the Russian FA have told RBC Sport that only U-16 tournaments, both for boys and girls, will have sanctions waived. The sanctions against the national team will stay, and all Russian clubs remain banned from European football.
“However, holding a UEFA-authorised tournament indicates that there is room for optimism,” a source of RBC Sport shared their opinion.
The Russian Football Union has also stated that it is “engaged in continuous dialogue with the European football federation on a wide range of topics”.
UEFA and FIFA, the second being the global football governing body, suspended Russian clubs and the country’s national team from all official competitions until further notice on 28 February due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
