Russia National Team Set for First Game Against European Opposition Since UEFA and FIFA Bans

The Russia men's national team will play Serbia on Thursday (March 21).

It will be Russia's first game against European opposition since November 2021.

The Russian Football Union (RFU) was banned from FIFA and UEFA competitions in February 2022 following the country's invasion of Ukraine.

As well as being blocked from international tournaments, like the World Cup and Euro 2024, all Russian clubs continue to be excluded from the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.

However, the international ban only applies to competitive games.

The Russia men's national team's last game against a European side was a 1-0 defeat by Croatia in Split in November 2021

IMAGO/Pixsell/Sanjin Strukic

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Iraq, Qatar, Cameroon, Kenya and Cuba have all played friendly matches against Russia in the last two years.

It has proved difficult to find European teams willing to face Russia but Serbia are set to line-up against Valery Karpin's side at Dynamo Moscow's stadium.

Russia will then host Paraguay at the same venue on March 25.

That will be Russia's first game against a South American nation since losing 3-0 to Uruguay at the 2018 World Cup on home soil.