Russia were suspended by both UEFA and FIFA
The Russian Football Federation is reportedly considering leaving UEFA and joining the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) after its domestic clubs and national team were suspended last month as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Why could they join the AFC?
Both UEFA and FIFA banned Russian sides from their respective competitions, with domestic clubs suspended from the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League indefinitely – and Spartak Moscow kicked out of the Europa League at the last 16 stage.
Meanwhile the men’s national team were also kicked out of the World Cup, allowing Poland a bye into the play-off final, while the women’s team, who are in the same group as England, may also be removed from this year’s European Championships.
Reports in Russia are suggesting however that their country’s football union may consider changing from UEFA to the AFC. Should a change happen, it would mean that they would compete in the Asian qualification rounds for the World Cup and compete in the Asian Cup instead of the Euros.
Club sides would also have to change competition and would instead feature in the Asian Champions League and AFC Cup as opposed to European domestic tournaments.
How likely is it to happen?
Any change would have to be ratified by other Asian federations which could prove to be a stumbling block given the complications surrounding any switch.
Former Manchester United winger and ex-Russia international Andrei Kanchelskis however believes that it may not even be possible for Russia to join the AFC and that it is unlikely UEFA will impose as harsh a ban as many people are expecting.
“The Asian Football Confederation? I don’t even know if this can be done,” he told Championat.
“While this is all at the level of conversations, I don’t think there will be such a serious suspension from UEFA. Although we all think – hope – that everything turns out quite differently.
“Naturally, both the Russian national team and our clubs need to move on, and play, no matter how the situation develops.
“If Russia has a real option with an Asian football confederation, then why not?
“I worked in Asia, played in Saudi Arabia. It would be interesting for me to watch such matches.”
Is there a precedent for this?
Russia aren’t the first team to have considered switching footballing confederations. Between 1954-1974 Israel were a part of the AFC before they were expelled from the confederation.
They were forced to leave after several Muslim and Arab countries refused to play against them.
Israel featured in UEFA’s international fixtures and were part of European qualification for the 1982 World Cup, before participating in the Oceania qualification stage for the 1990 World Cup, where they reached the play-off stage and eventually lost 1-0 to Colombia.
The country’s football association was eventually permitted to join UEFA on a permanent basis, and have been a member since 1991.
Other countries have relocated to different federations, with Kazakhstan – like Israel – leaving the AFC to join UEFA in 2002, while Australia joined the AFC in 2005 after they left the Oceania confederation, and cited Israel’s continued participation in UEFA as justification for the switch.
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