Aleniçev says neutral-ground European matches would be a celebration

Former Spartak Moscow head coach Dmitri Aleniçev said that if sanctions are lifted, Russian teams playing European cup matches on neutral ground would be a great joy for fans. Journalist Eldar Amanbaev announced that Russian clubs have begun preliminary talks on the possibility of playing home matches in Kazakhstan if admitted to UEFA tournaments.

Scraper SystemJuly 18, 2026, 11:24 AM

Aleniçev says neutral-ground European matches would be a celebration

Former Spartak Moscow head coach Dmitri Aleniçev commented on the return of Russian football clubs to European cups. In a statement to RIA Novosti, Aleniçev said that if sanctions are lifted and UEFA allows it, the European matches that Russian teams would play on neutral ground would be a celebration for fans who have long been deprived of such tournaments.

Journalist Eldar Amanbaev announced on his Telegram channel that Russian Premier League (RPL) clubs have begun preliminary talks to consider the option of playing home matches in Kazakhstan if they are admitted to tournaments under UEFA's auspices.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) withdrew its recommendations to international federations regarding restrictions on Russian athletes in early July. However, according to a report by British newspaper The Telegraph, FIFA and UEFA do not plan to admit Russian clubs and national teams to international tournaments in the near future, despite the IOC's move.

Russian teams and national teams were indefinitely banned from international competitions by FIFA and UEFA in February 2022 due to developments in Ukraine. In June 2026, FIFA allowed the Russian under-15 national team to participate in the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival, scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan from October 22-31.