What has become of Russia’s national team since its suspension? | OneFootball

With the World Cup under way, Russia’s national team is surviving on low-key friendlies and appearance fees. According to L'Équipe, four years after their suspension, the Sbornaya remain marooned outside official competition.

On 28 February 2022 FIFA and UEFA barred Russian teams until further notice and ended Gazprom’s c40m-a-year sponsorship. In 2023 UEFA briefly weighed a neutral return for the U17s, then reversed amid boycott threats.

By October 2024 Russia endured its first international window without a game, Pakistan declining despite all costs being covered as president Alexandre Dioukov pledged to keep pursuing friendlies. They may still play on FIFA dates without political sign-off, unlike Yugoslavia’s total ban in the 1990s.

Opponents have largely been Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Cuba, Vietnam and Grenada. Russia put eight past Cuba in November 2023, beat Serbia 4-0 in March 2024, overcame Zambia 5-0 in March 2025 and Iran 2-1 in October 2025, before Egypt won 1-0 on 28 May.

To secure fixtures, tours by Chile and Bolivia cost close to c10m each, with opponents paid match fees and Russian players c2,000 to c3,000 per game. The FIFA ranking has barely moved, from 35th in February 2022 to 36th now.

Crowds are down from 52,500 in 2009 to 30,000 in 2025, with 43m viewers across 10 friendlies last year. After flirting with an AFC switch in 2023, Russia refocused on Europe, and the women’s team is likewise limited to friendlies.

Source: L'Équipe