Mitrofanov stated, “Shevchenko said that Russia’s return is not even being discussed right now and that he spoke about it with Infantino? He can say a lot. In my opinion, he has no influence in FIFA whatsoever. Nothing depends on Shevchenko here. The discussion about our return is ongoing.”
Russian clubs and national teams have been suspended from tournaments under the auspices of FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) since February 2022. On February 2, 2026, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the ban on Russia has not produced the desired result, suggesting the need to consider the return of Russian teams. However, The Times later reported that the FIFA Council is not planning to review the matter of Russia’s reinstatement due to concerns over criticism from European countries.