Stupor in world football this Wednesday after a press conference among the president of the USA, Donald Trumpand the mandamás of the FIFAGianni Infantino, the possibility for Russia to dispute the World Cup 2026.
The selection that is part of UEFA is prohibited by FIFA to participate in the international contest due to the war with Ukraine. That is precisely why it also marginalized the Cup held in Qatar 2022, but now everything could change if peace is finally signed between the two countries.
“I am not the boss, the boss is him,” he said Trump A Infantino among laughs when asked at a conference at the White House on the possibility that Russia is allowed to play the 2026 World Cup that will be played in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Given this, FIFA’s mandamás was clear: “We hope things happen, that there is peace, and then possibly we readmit it (Russia). It is possible.” And Trump joined: “It is possible, it could be a good incentive. We want to end this war, We want to end the five thousand young people who are killed per week. It’s amazing. Both of the Russian and Ukrainian army and even citizens live horrible things. We want to stop this war. ”
-Beyond the political consequences, this possible measure would bring a sports cimbronazo because the UEFA qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup have already started and Russia is not participating in FIFA impediment. In other words, if you make the decision to include it in the contest, the schedule and calendar should be altered.
Why Russia is prohibited from playing the 2026 World Cup and international tournaments
After organizing the World Cup in 2018and complete a good role reaching Quarter finals And getting among the eight best in the world, Russia received a relentless sanction from FIFA, which began in 2022 and that a political situation occurred: Russian invasion in Ukraine.
From the beginning of this war and until you desist of his war clashes, Russia faces an irrevocable sanction In football, as well as in other sports activities such as Olympic Games. In this case, FIFA and UEFA prevent you from playing international tournaments for both the selection and its teams.
All the 2026 World Cup classified
- USA
- Canada
- Mexico
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Iran
- Argentina
How many selections classify the 2026 World Cup
From 2026, The World Cup will go from 32 to 48 participants and the selections will be distributed in 12 groups of four teams each. Thus the quotas are distributed according to the FIFA regulations:
- UEFA (Europe): 16 direct places.
- CAF (Africa): 9 direct places + 1 for repechage.
- Concacaf (North America, Central America and Caribbean): 6 direct places (including the 3 hosts) + 2 for repechage.
- CONMEBOL (South America): 6 direct places + 1 for repechage.
- AFC (Asia): 8 direct places + 1 for repechage.
- OFC (Oceania): 1 direct place + 1 for repechage.
