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On May 6, in the East Room of the White House, US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino chaired a meeting of the White House Task Force on preparations for the 2026 World Cup to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada. This newly formed task force will also oversee the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup taking place this summer.
During the meeting, the US President said he was unaware of the ban on Russia from international tournaments. "I don't know about the ban. Is that correct?", President Trump asked, before Infantino confirmed the existence of the ban from February 2022.
"As peace talks are underway, I hope we can soon turn the page and bring Russia back to world football," the FIFA president said. "The return of Russia could provide good momentum to end the conflict," President Trump added.
After a three-year suspension, this is good news for Russian football. However, it is very difficult for Russia to participate in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers as President Trump expected. The ban will need to be lifted with the approval of the UEFA Executive Committee (ExCo). If 10 of the 18 members of the Committee agree (including Aleksandr Dyukov, President of the RFU), Russia will be allowed to return to European competitions, and will also receive the approval of the FIFA Council.
However, the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Europe have been divided into groups for a long time and will start on March 21. It is unlikely that Russia will be placed in any group. It is more likely that the Russian team will aim for EURO 2028, if the vote is approved before the qualifiers begin in March 2027.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/tong-thong-my-donald-trump-muon-nga-gop-mat-tai-world-cup-2026-nhung-dieu-nay-co-the-xay-ra-post1740285.tpo
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