UEFA has included Russia in the preliminary allocation of European club competitions for the new season
UEFA has published a preliminary breakdown of country representation in European club competitions for the 2027–2028 season, which includes Russia. If Russian clubs are allowed to participate in the tournaments, four teams from the aggressor country will be able to compete in European club competitions.
According to the preliminary allocation, the Russian champion could begin its European campaign in the first qualifying round of the Champions League.
If admitted, the Russian Cup winner would have the opportunity to start in the first qualifying round of the Europa League.
At the same time, the teams that finish second and third in the Russian Premier League could secure spots in the second qualifying round of the Conference League.
Thus, under the current preliminary allocation, Russia could potentially receive four club spots in European competitions for the 2027–2028 season.
However, this document is preliminary in nature.
Russia may be excluded from the final list if the suspension of Russian clubs is not lifted. Currently, Russian teams continue to operate under international suspension.
In 2022, FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian national teams and clubs indefinitely from participating in competitions under their auspices following the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
As a result, the Russian national team, in particular, did not participate in the playoffs for a spot in the 2022 World Cup and also missed Euro 2024, the 2026 World Cup, and several editions of the Nations League.
Therefore, Russia’s mere inclusion in the UEFA document does not mean an automatic return of its clubs to European club competitions: the final decision will depend on whether the ban on Russian teams’ participation remains in effect or is lifted.
The relevant document was published on the official website of the Union of European Football Associations.
As a reminder, Kyiv’s Dynamo suffered a 0–2 loss to Azerbaijan’s Qarabağ in the second leg of the third qualifying round of the Conference League. Given Dynamo’s 1–0 victory in the first leg, the club from Agdam advanced on aggregate, while the Kyiv team was definitively eliminated from European competition for the 2026–27 season.
