The Russian Federation hopes that their national team will receive a special invitation to the World Cup.

The Secretary General of the Russian Football Union, Maxim Mitrofanov, did not rule out that the Russian national football team will receive a wild-card (a special invitation not provided for in the regulations) to participate in the 2026 World Cup. This was reported by 'Glavkom'.During communication with Russian propagandists, Mitrofanov, when asked about a wild-card for Russia, noted that 'everything is possible in this life'.

- Is a wild-card possible for the 2026 World Cup?

- Everything is possible in this life.

- But there have been no precedents.

- There have also been no precedents regarding the exclusion, as was the case with Russia.

The Russian national team and Russian football clubs were suspended from international tournaments after the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine in February 2022.It should be noted that Russia was excluded from the draw for the World Cup qualifying. Thus, the aggressor country lost the opportunity to play in the final part of the World Cup.

2026 World Cup. Qualifying Cycle

UEFA (Europe) has 16 slots. The qualifying in the European zone will last from March 2025 to March 2026 and will consist of two rounds.Round 1 of Qualifying: 12 groups of five or four national teams will play from March to November 2025 in the traditional group system. 12 group winners will receive direct spots in the final stage.12 teams that take second place, and the four best group winners of the Nations League, finishing below second place in the group stage of the European qualifying, will participate in the playoff mini-tournaments.Round 2 of Qualifying: the playoff mini-tournaments in March 2026 will consist of single-match semifinals and finals. 16 participants will be divided into four playoff paths. Four winners will receive spots in the World Cup.AFC (Asia): 8 spots + 1 place in the intercontinental playoff.CAF (Africa): 9 spots + 1 place in the intercontinental playoff.CONCACAF (North and Central America): 3 tournament organizers + 3 spots + 2 places in the intercontinental playoff.CONMEBOL (South America): 6 spots + 1 place in the intercontinental playoff.OFC (Oceania): 1 spot + 1 place in the intercontinental playoff.Intercontinental playoff: 2 spots.

2026 World Cup. Final Tournament

The 2026 World Cup is the first in history in which 48 national teams will participate in the final part. 12 groups of four teams will be formed. The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams will advance to the Round of 16.Matches of the 23rd World Cup will be held in 16 cities. These will be: in Canada - Toronto and Vancouver, in Mexico - Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey, in the USA - Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.The opening match of the World Cup will take place on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, and the final match will be held on July 19 in New York.