Russia welcomes Infantino’s comments on lifting ban; Ukraine furious

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by By News AgenciesFebruary 3, 2026 at 03:18 PM
Russia welcomes Infantino’s comments on lifting ban; Ukraine furious

AI Summary

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino suggested lifting the ban on Russia's participation in international football competitions, imposed after the country's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Infantino stated the ban "has not achieved anything," prompting a strong reaction from both sides. The Kremlin welcomed Infantino's comments, expressing hope for the full restoration of Russian footballers' rights. Conversely, Ukraine denounced the suggestion as irresponsible, asserting the ban should remain as long as Russian aggression continues. UEFA, which has the authority to reinstate Russia, previously considered allowing Russia to compete in Under-17 championships but reversed the decision after boycott threats. UEFA's president maintains that the war in Ukraine must end before Russia can be reinstated.

Keywords

russia ban 90% fifa 80% ukraine 80% international football 70% gianni infantino 70% war on ukraine 60% uefa 60% sports ban 50% dmitry peskov 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral
Score: -0.10

Source Transparency

Source
Al Jazeera
Political Lean
Center (0.00)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%
Geographic Perspective
Russia

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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