Overview
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the ban on Russian teams “hasn’t achieved anything” and urged readmission at least for youth categories.
- He argued that letting Russian boys and girls compete abroad would reduce isolation and serve football’s unifying role, reiterating opposition to boycotts.
- FIFA is analyzing options for easing the ban in formative levels, and no final decision has been announced.
- A new FIFA U-15 festival, announced in December and open to all 211 member associations, provides a potential route for youth participation.
- UEFA remains cautious, with president Aleksander Ceferin linking full readmission to the war’s end and an executive committee meeting expected to revisit the issue later in February.