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FIFA Council unlikely to hold vote on lifting sanctions against Russia — daily

Russian national football teams are currently barred by all FIFA-sanctioned bodies from playing at the 2028 UEFA Euro Cup

LONDON, February 2. /TASS/. The Council of the International Football Federation (FIFA) is unlikely to convene to cast votes in regard to the issue of returning Russian clubs and national teams back to international tournaments, The Times daily reported on Monday.

The British-based daily cited its unnamed source as saying that any possible discussions regarding this issue would raise strong confrontations on behalf of European countries.

Earlier in the day, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said in an interview with Sky News that FIFA, should lift the previously imposed ban on Russia's participation in international competitions.

"I'm against bans, I'm against boycotts as well. I think they don't bring anything… they just contribute to… more hatred," Infantino noted.

In late December 2025, Russian Football Union (RFU) Secretary General Maxim Mitrofanov said in an interview with TASS that presidents of the world and European governing football federations, FIFA and UEFA respectively, stated that they lacked the authority to bring Russia back to international play. According to Mitrofanov, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and UEFA President Alexander Ceferin had been very cryptic in their statements on Russia’s global-level reinstatement.

Russian national football teams are currently barred by all FIFA-sanctioned bodies from playing at the 2028 UEFA Euro Cup that will be hosted by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales between June 9 and July 9. The qualifiers for the quadrennial European football championship will be played in 2027.

Russia is also skipping due to FIFA sanctions the 2026 FIFA World Cup that will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. The matches will be staged in 16 cities across the three countries. This will be the first FIFA World Cup featuring 48 teams instead of the previous 32-team format.

Russia’s football ban

The world’s governing football body, FIFA, announced on February 28, 2022, that the Russian national teams and all professional clubs representing the country were barred from participating in FIFA tournaments.

In turn, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) made a similar decision regarding the Russian national football team’s participation in UEFA tournaments.

Both FIFA and UEFA cited Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine as grounds for their respective bans on Russian teams’ participation in competitions.

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Berlin's nuclear arming goes against international pacts — Russia's MFA

This follows from the answers of the Foreign Ministry to media questions dedicated to Sergey Lavrov's news conference summing up the results of Russian diplomacy in 2025

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Similar plans are being developed in Brussels for Russian oil and nuclear fuel

Russia sees Arctic as region of special strategic importance — MFA

The ministry stressed that any attempts to ignore Russia’s interests in the Arctic will not go unanswered but will have far-reaching consequences

Russia worried over increasingly aggressive rhetoric towards Cuba — foreign ministry

Russia is closely following the situation in Latin America and the Caribbean region

Russia's recognition of Ukrainian elections to depend on situation — Medvedev

Dmitry Medvedev recalled that Russia had recognized the legitimacy of the election outcomes that brought Pyotr Poroshenko and Vladimir Zelensky to power

Europe in January sets new record for LNG imports for this month

LNG supplies in January took second place among European gas sources, accounting for 27.7%

Russian companies in talks to build small hydroelectric power plants in Afghanistan

"Practical steps will be taken in this direction in the near future," Afghan Ambassador to Russia Gul Hassan said

Turkey, Azerbaijan to prove supplying non-Russian gas to EU — regulation

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UAVs totally change combat pattern, no return to past possible — Medvedev

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Japan’s policy of remilitarization poses threat to peace in Asia-Pacific — Russian MFA

This undermines the trust of Tokyo's neighbors, the ministry noted

Russia destroys Ukraine’s HIMARS MLRS, S-300 launchers — top brass

Russian troops have liberated the settlement of Pridorozhnoye in the Zaporozhye Region

Russia says work on prisoner exchanges between it, US goes on via intelligence channels

"Such information should not be prematurely disclosed," the Russian Foreign Ministry said

NATO secretary general believes US plan for Ukraine requires further revision

Mark Rutte believes that the plan should guarantee Ukraine's security

Trumps says against relocating UN headquarters from New York

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India to buy US and not Russian oil, Trump says

This will help to end the conflict in Ukraine, the US president added

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The politician noted that he perceived "the decreasing pain threshold" as the main danger

FIFA Council unlikely to hold vote on lifting sanctions against Russia — daily

Russian national football teams are currently barred by all FIFA-sanctioned bodies from playing at the 2028 UEFA Euro Cup

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Sales of domestically produced vehicles lost 3% year on year to more than 54,000 cars

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Ayman Safadi reiterated Jordan’s support for efforts to ease tensions and establish calm in the Middle East

US creating strategic reserve of critical minerals — Trump

The US leader emphasized that it will be used for civilian purposes in times of emergency

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Former head of state Andrzej Duda repeatedly advocated for deploying American nuclear weapons in Poland

Russia-China relations seen as factor of stability — Russian foreign ministry

Russia and China are consistently strengthening cooperation in the global arena, the Russian foreign ministry said

Russia takes Kiev’s terrorist steps into account when elaborating its negotiating position

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Russia, China to hold cross years of cooperation in educational sphere in 2026-2027

The government has been instructed to set up an organizing committee

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Russia not seeking global conflict — Medvedev

The Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman reiterated that Moscow had repeatedly warned the West and NATO countries, calling on them to take Russia’s interests into account

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FSB prevents terrorist attack on headquarters in Crimea

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Turkey, Egypt, Qatar working to organize Witkoff’s meeting with Iranian officials — media

The meeting is expected to be organized later this week

Russian senator rings WWIII alarm bell over potential US invasion of Iran

Vladimir Dzhabarov stressed that Iran was a large and "well-armed" country

Russia follows its nuclear doctrine — Medvedev on possibility of strike on Ukraine

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Andrey Marochko noted that there were some gaps in the Ukraine’s defenses in this sector

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Russia surprised by US making Venezuela de facto colony — Medvedev

Russia definitely considers Venezuela to be a friendly state, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council said

Ukrainian army banned from capturing Russian servicemen — counterintelligence officer

Sergey Mykhaylov said the order was to interrogate and kill Russian soldiers

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Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, February 2nd

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Afghanistan wants to buy oil and gas from Russia — Ambassador to Moscow

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Russian strategic bombers fly over neutral waters of Barents, Norwegian seas

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IOC discriminates against Russian athletes — Russian Olympic chief

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UK revokes accreditation of Russian diplomat — Foreign Office

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