Russia is planning to host what will be called a “parallel World Cup,” featuring teams that failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Russia is suffering from significant sporting isolation, having been banned from participating in any FIFA and UEFA competitions since 2022 due to its military intervention in Ukraine.
Russia wants to break this isolation and return to high-level competition, following the national team’s participation in 21 friendly matches over the past three years against teams from outside Europe.
According to some press reports, Russia is considering organizing a parallel international tournament to be held concurrently with the 2026 World Cup, limited to national teams that failed to qualify for the biggest football event in North America.
According to reports, the tournament would be short, featuring between eight and twelve national teams, and would be played in four of the stadiums that hosted the 2018 World Cup. The idea is a blend of sporting and symbolic aims.
The initiative aims to draw attention to the FIFA sanctions against Russia, hoping for their eventual lifting. It would also serve Russia’s goal of maintaining a media presence in the football world and showcasing its infrastructure and capacity to host major international events.
Proposed participating teams include: Russia, Serbia, Greece, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, Nigeria, Cameroon, China, and Armenia.
However, the idea remains difficult to implement due to legal issues. FIFA is likely to strongly oppose it, especially since no tournaments are permitted to coincide with the World Cup.
