Russia stays out, but Dyukov remains

Russian clubs and national teams remain banned from UEFA competitions, with no immediate prospect of returning. Inside European football’s governing body, however, Russia has not disappeared entirely.

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin stated in a recent interview that senior Russian teams are unlikely to be readmitted until the war in Ukraine has ended. According to Izvestia, Čeferin also described it as regrettable that Russia had been unable to compete for four years, while leaving open the possibility of reconsidering restrictions on youth teams.

Yet one of the most powerful figures in Russian football remains involved in UEFA’s internal structure. Alexander Dyukov is president of the Russian Football Union and chief executive of Gazprom Neft, the oil division of the state-controlled Gazprom empire.

Two influential UEFA positions

Dyukov chose not to seek another term on UEFA’s Executive Committee in 2025. He did not, however, leave the organisation’s decision-making system completely.

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According to UEFA’s official list of committees for 2023 to 2027, Dyukov holds deputy chairman positions on both the National Associations Committee and the Club Competitions Committee.

The latter role is particularly striking. Russian clubs cannot enter the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League, but the head of Russian football continues to occupy a senior position on the committee dealing with UEFA’s club competitions.

Dyukov previously served as president and chairman of Zenit Saint Petersburg. He has also been described by The Guardian as a close Putin ally whose continuing presence illustrates Russia’s quieter influence within UEFA.

A difficult contradiction for UEFA

There is no evidence that Dyukov personally decides whether Russian teams will be readmitted. His committee positions nevertheless expose an uncomfortable distinction in UEFA’s policy.

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Russian players, supporters and clubs remain outside European competitions because of a war launched by Putin’s government. At the same time, a leading executive from one of the Kremlin’s most important energy companies retains formal influence within UEFA.

Čeferin’s latest comments have renewed discussion about when Russia could return. The more overlooked question is why a figure so closely connected to the Russian state never completely left the organisation in the first place.

Russia may be absent from UEFA’s pitches, but through Dyukov, it has never been entirely absent from UEFA’s corridors.

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