Russia considers leaving UEFA and changing associations following ban extension
- Seb Sternik
- 4 May 2022
Russia's Football Union is considering leaving Europe’s governing body UEFA and joining the Asian Football Confederation, according to Sky Deutschland.
Last Monday, UEFA extended their ban on Russian teams - both clubs and national - into the 2022/23 season.
The ban was originally handed out following the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine. As a result, no Russian men's or women's teams are allowed to play in international competitions for the foreseeable future.
According to latest reports by Sky Infos, the Russian Football Union and the Russian government are still firmly against the sanctions and an appeal is set to go through the Court of Arbitration for Sport - although a date is yet to be set.
However, the country's governing body are now understood to be planning a reorganisation of Russian football which could involve the circumvention of UEFA sanctions.
Despite this, changing federations doesn't mean Russia would be welcomed back to international competitions automatically. For instance, the country's exclusion from the World Cup was a FIFA sanction - not UEFA.
There are also major question marks for Russian clubs who regularly participate in European competitions.
The Asian Champions League is far less financially attractive than the UEFA Champions League. What's more, there's no indication that Russian clubs would be automatically welcomed.
The AFC and UEFA are yet to comment on the latest developments.
