Russia are expected to be granted permission from FIFA and UEFA to play a European team for the 1st time since being suspended from competitive football in 2022 after reaching an agreement to play against Serbia in March next year.
The Russian Football Union has been suspended by the football governing bodies since the beginning of the war with Ukraine in February last year, with all Russian clubs banned from competing in the World Cup and European Championships, while all Russian sides continue to be excluded from the UCL, UEL, and UCL.
National teams of Russia and Serbia will play a friendly match in March 2024.
This will be Russia’s first match against European country since the suspension of FIFA and UEFA due to the special military operation in Ukraine.
🇷🇺🇷🇸 pic.twitter.com/a1gWyFK4Ye
— Based Serbia (@SerbiaBased) December 20, 2023
“The national teams of Russia and Serbia have agreed to face each other in a friendly clash in March 2024,” the RFU announced. “This was shared with the media by the president of the RFU, Alexander Dyukov.”
The most likely venue of the friendly will be Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg.