https://khelnow.com/football/2022-11-world-football-russia-consider-shift-from-uefa-to-afc/

Interesting. Would make Asia way too big if so, so doubt it would happen without a restructure of the confederation.

Russia can fuck off

if they hadn't of invaded ukraine would be very handy for Australia and asia's development to have russia play here.

Hope they leave Ukraine

Yep - but not the Russian players fault their president is a mass murderer

By the same token though, they were expelled from qualifying for this cup and it was the right decision. 

This attempt to join Asia is just a political statement from Russia along with all the other things they are doing realigning themselves with Asia and isolating themselves from Europe. It's a token move with greater implications. We as a confederation shouldn't be accommodating it.

China   +   Russia ?

Gee ,  how  quickly  would   we   be   punted   back  to   Oceania ...

At a mere football level it would improve both the Asian Cup and ACL quite significantly, and so long term be good for Australian football. But ofc, there are the wider moral and geopolitical factors involved that are more important than Australian football.

If they wanted to join they'd have to show why it would benifits Asia to get the votes (Australia did it be selling the idea to a number of Asian countries that we'd bring european strength, something the Australians play with and the Asians have struggled with in the past, also there was a major push to move towards our Asian sphere of influence).
I can't see what the Russians would bring, most middle eastern countries, and SEA countries won't want a bar of this, as it will directly impact their football development.

Imagine Russia and Turkey joining AFC

It would increase the football status of Asia, but politically Putin ( whilst he is still President) could cause turmoil.

Vladivostok away days lets goooooo! 

Russia would strengthen the confereration. The stronger the confederation the better the competition and higher the standard, benefiting most. Also would add huge gravitas to the Asian Champions League. Imagine  WSW v Zenit St Petersburgh, sell out at Commbank, RBB going nuts. Much more of a spectacle than v Al Whogivesafuck or Casio Nagasaki

I dont mind it, would make a good stepping stone to europe.

good they have a pretty good league and some decent club sides be good for the AFC i couldn't care about politics i hope Turkey joins us as well

with the increased number of nations in the world cup i dare say it would still mean we have a fairly 'easy' route to the WC but would improve the confederation a lot



Keep politics out of football and this benefits all of the AFC immensely 

With the larger world cup from now on it'd at least make qualifying interesting

Speaking of politics in football...interesting that Qatar allows (encouraged) Palestinian flags/chants in the latest games...
Also those weird Ozil protests and confrontations by Saudis against Germans 

The World Cup of approved protests it appears....

As for this, after the WC, it would be good to see if there is an appetite for UEFA clubs to leave FIFA.

Maybe Russia can join China, North Korea, Saudis and African despots with their own tournaments

The revised teams from 2026.... i.e. 48 team WC

AFC (Asia) – eight places (up from 4.5).... 47 teams
Caf (Africa) – nine places (up from 5) ... 54 teams
Concacaf (North and Central America) – six places, of which three go to hosts (up from 3.5) ... 41 teams
Conmebol (South America) – six places (up from 4.5) ...  10 teams 
OFC (Oceania) – one place (up from 0.5) ... 10 teams
Uefa (Europe) – 16 places (up from 13) ...  55 nations...

Total nations... 217 nations competition  

Not including Australia, the top 11 AFC nations IMO capable of qualifying , not in any order, Japan, South Korea, Saudi's, Iran, Oman, Iraq, UAE,  Vietnam, Uzbekistan, China,  Thailand... all these nations are improving.... add Russia and qualifying thu Asia will be far more difficult than many think.... especially when the effect of the WC in the middle east has on local competitions over the next few years.... 

TBH, Russia should have been in Asia already.

If they did, and 2026 was still a 32 team World Cup we'd be in serious trouble. They'd straight away be the best team in Asia too.

It'll never happen though. The clubs won't want to lose Champions League football (assuming they're ever let back in), and I can't imagine AFC voting them in considering how many votes countries would be concerned about competition for qualifying. Also, their ban is from FIFA, not just UEFA so it won't change anything 

That's how it's always been with the "no politics in football!!!" lot. It's acceptable as long as they agree with it 

Why? Geographically Russia is mostly in Asia. But the vast majority of its population is in Europe, as are almost all of their pro clubs. I could see an argument for Kazakhstan and maybe Turkey, but even outside of where they are physically located, Russian football (as opposed to politics) would be taking a backwards step.

Because most of the country is not in Europe and they are not Europeans in much of their outlook, not just their population, there's also things like they are not in EU, are pretty much against European amalgamations. It would make more sense for them to have been in Asia. 

Tend to agree

Between UEFA and South America you would have at least 25 +10 places 

OFC will never get a spot they will probably get 1-2 or play off spots at best or they will just join the AFC 

No one 'really' considers Russia part of Europe and more of there country is in Asia then Europe - dating back to the USSR it was its 'own' thing 

they are not part of the EU, they are hated by NATO it makes more sense for them to be part of the AFC over UEFA

I personally think it would be good for Asian football, it would be good for Russian football in the sense they would make way more World cups but i dare say missing out on the UCL would be a BIG draw back as the ACL is a shit competition 

Midfielder's numbers there are confirmed spots for 2026. There are also two playoff spots available, with CONCACAF getting 2 spots, UEFA none, and the others 1 spot each.

it will change OFC in particular is a bit of a waste as it is essentially just NZ

At this point, I make my usual comment - time to split Asia into East and West and drag Oceania into East Asia.

Russia can be part of West. I don't want them in our confed. Still scarred by getting in and out of Kazan. Arseholes.