Soccer-Global football boss Infantino hopeful of Russia return

By Lori Ewing

(Reuters) -FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday he hoped Russia could rejoin the global football world soon, as it would signify that the war in Ukraine was over.

Russian clubs and the national team have been suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions since the country invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

"As talks are going on for peace in Ukraine, I hope that we can soon move to the next page, bring back, as well, Russia in the football landscape because this would mean that everything is solved," Infantino said at the 49th UEFA Congress in Belgrade.

"That's what we have to cheer for, that's what we have to pray for — because that is what football is about. It's not about dividing, it's about uniting girls, uniting boys, uniting people from wherever they are."

UEFA Aleksander Ceferin echoed Infantino's remarks.

"When the war stops, (Russia) will be readmitted," Ceferin told the UEFA Congress closing press conference.

Ceferin said he strongly opposed a proposal FIFA is considering to increase the number of teams in the 2030 World Cup to 64 to mark the centenary of the sport's marquee event.

Morocco, Spain and Portugal are hosting the tournament, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, where the inaugural World Cup was held in 1930, set to host three games.

The New York Times reported that Ignacio Alonso, President of the Uruguayan FA, proposed the one-off expansion at last month's FIFA Council.

"This proposal was maybe even more surprising for me than for you," Ceferin said. "I think it's a bad idea. I think it's not a good idea for the World Cup itself, and it's not a good idea for our qualifiers as well.

"So I'm not supporting that idea. I don't know where it came from. It's strange that we didn't know anything before this proposal at the end of FIFA Council."

The World Cup has already been expanded from 32 to 48 teams for next year's edition in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

Ceferin did not object to this year's Club World Cup, which has drawn criticism for creating a busy summer for players.

"Now, the Club World Cup is happening, and that's it," Ceferin said. "Clubs from Europe wanted it, and I don't see his kind of competition to our competition. It will be more matches for some of the players."

The Club World Cup runs from June 14 to July 13 in the U.S.

(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)