Russia wants to host "the World Cup for the non-qualified" during 2026 WC

 The Russian Football Union (RFU) is working on an unexpected yet strategic idea: organizing a parallel tournament during the 2026 World Cup, exclusively for teams that failed to qualify. The proposal, which is already circulating in international media, aims to reposition Russia on the global competitive map following its sporting sanctions.

Teams invited to the tournament

According to the preliminary idea, Russia would seek to bring together countries that, for various reasons, will not be at the 2026 World Cup. Among them:

Russia

Serbia

Greece

Chile

Peru

Venezuela

Nigeria

Cameroon

China

It would be an unprecedented event: a parallel international championship that would bring together historically dominant teams, clubs with a World Cup tradition, and other national teams seeking more experience.

Why this proposal arises

Russia has been excluded from FIFA tournaments since 2022. It does not compete in the qualifiers or the European Championship, which hinders its sporting development.

The 2026 World Cup will have 48 teams, but even so, several were left out, which facilitates the invitation process.

The country wants to regain international visibility, demonstrating that it is still capable of hosting major events.

The project is still in its initial stages, but it is already generating global debate and could become one of the most striking developments in the lead-up to the 2030 World Cup.