The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has officially confirmed that Russia will not participate in the Euro 2024 tournament. This decision extends the existing ban on Russian teams from international football competitions, initially imposed in February following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This confirmation comes after Russia’s appeal against the initial bans by both UEFA and FIFA (the world football governing body) was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The initial ban was a swift response to the military actions in Ukraine, and UEFA has now solidified its stance regarding Euro 2024.
Despite calls for a blanket ban on all allies of Russia, UEFA has decided to allow Belarus to participate in the Euro 2024 qualifying draw, scheduled for next month. Germany, the host nation for Euro 2024, had formally requested that Belarus be excluded due to its military alliance with Russia. However, UEFA will permit Belarus’s participation, although with certain restrictions. Notably, Belarus will be kept separate from Ukraine in the draw for security reasons.
The qualifying draw, set to take place in Frankfurt on October 9th, will proceed without Russia among the 53 participating nations. While German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser publicly urged UEFA to exclude Belarus, UEFA responded in private, the details of which remain confidential. It’s worth noting that UEFA had already sanctioned Belarus in May, prohibiting them from hosting international matches and stipulating that their designated “home” games be played on neutral grounds without spectators. This earlier sanction was directly linked to Belarus’s role in facilitating the Russian invasion of Ukraine by providing access through its territory.
Beyond the Russia and Belarus situation, the Euro 2024 draw will also navigate other politically sensitive pairings. Long-standing UEFA restrictions will continue to prevent matches between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as Spain and Gibraltar. Furthermore, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina will remain unable to be drawn in the same group as Kosovo. These measures, along with considerations for minimizing excessive travel and exposure to extreme weather conditions for teams, highlight the complexities involved in organizing a major international football tournament amidst a global political landscape.
