Ukraine’s sports minister has said FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s bid to lift a ban on Russia competing at youth level are “irresponsible” and “infantile.”

Infantino said the ban on Russia competing, which was imposed by FIFA and UEFA after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, should “definitely” be lifted, “at least at youth level.”

Infantino added on Sky News that the ban had “not achieved anything” and “created more frustration, and hatred.”

“Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help,” the Swiss said.

Matvii Bidnyi, Ukraine’s sports minister, said on Tuesday: “Gianni Infantino’s words sound irresponsible — not to say infantile. They detach football from the reality in which children are being killed.

“Let me remind you that since the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression, more than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by Russians.

“Among them were more than 100 footballers. One example is Illia Perezhogin, a 10th-grade student at a Mariupol school, who was simply playing football at his school stadium when a Russian missile struck.

“Former futsal player Viktoriia Kotliarova was killed together with her mother during the shelling of Kyiv on Dec. 29, 2023. She was a Kyiv Student Futsal Cup champion and a winner of the Dynamo Student League tournament.

“War is a crime, not politics. It is Russia that politicises sport and uses it to justify aggression. I share the position of the Ukrainian Association of Football, which also warns against Russia’s return to international competitions.

“As long as Russians continue killing Ukrainians and politicising sport, their flag and national symbols have no place among people who respect values such as justice, integrity, and fair play.”

On Dec. 17 the FIFA Council announced plans for a new U15 festival, with a boys’ event to be staged next year and a girls’ event in 2027. That followed a recommendation from the Olympic Summit for international sports federations to allow Russian teams and athletes to compete under their national flag at youth level.

A media release confirming the FIFA Council’s decisions said the events would “be open to all 211 FIFA member associations.”

Speaking on Boxing Day last year, the Russian Football Union president Alexander Dyukov said: “We expect that next year, following the IOC [recommendation], international football regulators will make decisions that will allow our teams to participate in official international competitions.

“We hope that, taking into account the IOC recommendations, a way will be found to include our teams in the appropriate groups at the next draw. We also expect similar decisions from FIFA.

“The contacts and communications that have taken place indicate that FIFA and UEFA view the IOC’s decision positively, although it is not binding on them.”

Dyukov said he intended to attend next week’s UEFA Congress in Brussels, which would be “an opportunity to discuss our return.”

Senior figures within the administration of European football spoken to by the Press Association remain sceptical around the lifting of the ban in practical terms even at youth level, amid fears other teams would simply refuse to line up against Russia until a lasting political settlement is reached to end the conflict.

Interest in Cristiano Ronaldo is already heating up in Europe and MLS, with Manchester United linked, while Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are all interested in Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

– Interest in Cristiano Ronaldo is already heating up in Europe and MLS, according to TEAMtalk. Ronaldo, 40, refused to play for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League side’s 1-0 win over Al Riyadh, as sources told ESPN he is unhappy about the way the league conducted the Karim Benzema transfer to Al Hilal. The Manchester Evening News has linked the Portugal international with a return to Manchester United, while several other big clubs in Europe are willing to reshape their sporting projects to sign him.

– Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are all interested in Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, according to The Sun. Mikel Arteta is a big admirer of the Italy international and wants to pair him with Declan Rice in the Gunners’ midfield. The Gunners were even alerted to a possible move on deadline day, but it went nowhere. City boss Pep Guardiola is also a big fan of the 25-year-old and his Magpies teammate Tino Livramento, while Chelsea are monitoring Tonali. However, he and his wife are reported to be happy in the North East and he isn’t actively looking for an exit.

– Marcus Rashford has no intention of returning to Manchester United when his loan spell at Barcelona expires this summer, according to The Mirror. The Blaugrana have an option to permanently sign him for €30 million and the 28-year-old wants his future sorted before the 2026 World Cup begins. United’s interim head coach Michael Carrick would try to persuade the Red Devils academy graduate to stay if he becomes head coach full-time, but Rashford has already told Barca that he wants to stay at Camp Nou and would find another club instead of returning to Old Trafford if an agreement isn’t reached.

– Bayern Munich are in advanced talks to sign Charlotte FC and U.S. U20 winger Nimfasha Berchimas, as reported by The Athletic. The two clubs didn’t have to worry about Germany’s transfer deadline as they are working on a pre-agreed deal for the summer, as Berchimas only turns 18 at the end of this month so can’t be registered for a German club yet. There could be another U.S. youth international moving to Europe in the summer, as Tom Bogert reports that Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid are showing a strong interest in 18-year-old Real Salt Lake striker Zavier Gozo.

– Juventus will make a move to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer after the striker stayed on loan at Tottenham Hotspur this January, as reported by Calciomercato. Juve tried until the very end of the transfer window to bring back the 27-year-old, who also wanted a return to the Serie A giants, but Spurs insisted on keeping the France international as they couldn’t find an affordable alternative. It will take at least €50 million to sign him permanently, but Juve will need to seal a departure for Loïs Openda to meet that figure.

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN’s Mark Ogden looks at the future for Cristiano Ronaldo if he leaves Saudi Arabia.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his 41st birthday on Thursday, but his incredible longevity and goal-scoring ability is why there will be plenty of clubs willing to sign the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward if he seeks a move away from Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

There will be clubs who want him, and clubs who can afford him. And there will also be the crucial factor of being able to offer Ronaldo the chance to break the 1,000 career goal mark — as he is now less then 50 goals away from that milestone.

So with all that considered, where could he go? Forget the speculation linking Ronaldo with a return to United for a third spell at Old Trafford. There is no good reason for that happen and it won’t. A move to MLS would be a serious option and open up the prospect of a “Last Dance” alongside Lionel Messi in the United States. If Ronaldo wants to move to the U.S., there is enough money in the country to make it happen, so don’t rule out the possibility of Ronaldo ending up in Los Angeles or New York.

But with Ronaldo earning a reported £177 million-a-year in Saudi Arabia, money will be perhaps the biggest factor, so any club, anywhere in the world, who will pay him a huge salary and give him a chance to hit 1,000 goals has a chance.

Only last week, Ronaldo’s former United and Portugal teammate Nani made a move to FC Aktobe in the Kazakhstan Premier League, and with the oil-rich country keen to boost its sporting profile, Ronaldo could even end up there. With him, almost anything is possible.

OTHER RUMORS

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Has Crystal Palace’s transfer strategy let them down again?

James Olley examines the collapse of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move to AC Milan and what it says about Palace’s recruitment strategy.

– Real Madrid are monitoring Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez for the summer in case they have any major outgoings. (Caught Offside)

– Internazionale could move for Al Ittihad winger Moussa Diaby and Atalanta right back Marco Palestra (who is on loan at Cagliari) in the summer after being unable to complete January deals for either of them. (Calciomercato)

– Atalanta are open to continuing talks with Atletico Madrid about midfielder Ederson ahead of June, having refused to let the Brazil international leave in January. (Rudy Galetti)

– Jadon Sancho is looking at a summer return to the Bundesliga as it is unlikely that the winger will stay with Aston Villa when his loan from Manchester United expires. (Football Insider)

– Paris Saint-Germain are working on triggering a release clause to permanently sign Khalil Ayari, who is currently on loan from Stade Tunisien. (Footmercato)

– Center back Dayot Upamecano has agreed a contract extension with Bayern Munich. (Florian Plettenberg)

– A new meeting between Juventus and Kenan Yildiz‘s agent is expected in the coming days, with a five-year contract extension worth €6 million-per-year to be discussed. (Nicolo Schira)

– Sevilla are considering re-signing 39-year-old defender Sergio Ramos for a third stint. Ramos is a free agent after leaving Monterrey in December and the former Real Madrid star began his career at Sevilla before returning to the club 18 years later for the 2023-24 campaign. (Diario de Sevilla)

– Xabi Alonso and Enzo Maresca are expected to be on the three-man shortlist to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, while Como’s Cesc Fabregas is gaining admirers across Europe. (Telegraph)

– Marc-Andre ter Stegen will not return to Barcelona after sustaining an injury and will see out his loan with Girona, but the goalkeeper could do part of his recovery with the Blaugrana‘s medical staff. (Mundo Deportivo)

– And Girona could still sign free agent goalkeeper Ruben Blanco to replace the Germany international. (Sport)

– Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini will sign contract extensions in the coming days to stay with Roma until 2029. (Nicolo Schira)

Pakistan’s decision to boycott its Twenty20 World Cup match against India has drawn widespread support from fans and administrators who hailed the move as a long-overdue stand in a rivalry in which sport and geopolitics have collided.

Pakistan’s decision has also handed the International Cricket Council (ICC) a delicate dilemma.

The ICC, in its initial response, warned in a statement that the boycott could undermine the credibility of international cricket and carry long-term consequences for the sport.

Should Pakistan stand by its refusal, the ICC has a range of disciplinary options at its disposal, including warnings, imposing fines, stripping hosting rights or, in extreme cases, suspending participation in ICC events.

A full expulsion from the T20 World Cup, however, would be viewed as a last resort.

The ICC typically seeks to avoid such outcomes as they damage the tournament’s commercial value, weaken competition, and disproportionately affect players and supporters rather than administrators.

In most cases, disputes of this nature are addressed through neutral venues, scheduling adjustments or quiet negotiations behind the scenes.

Historically, when teams have declined to tour or play specific opponents, the ICC has leaned on member boards to find a compromise, reserving bans only for clear violations of its regulations or outright refusal to participate in the tournament itself.

Deepens a long freeze

The boycott deepened a long freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours — who have not played a full series since 2012-13 and now meet largely at neutral venues — and dealt a blow to the ICC’s marquee event, with India-Pakistan matches the biggest drivers of global viewership and revenue.

Enough is enough

For many in Pakistan, however, the boycott was less about cricketing issues, with Pakistan forfeiting two points by skipping the match, and more about symbolism.

“Enough is enough,” former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi told Reuters, accusing India’s board of politicising the ICC.

“It’s time to challenge this duplicitous approach by exercising PCB’s options in alliance with Bangladesh.”

The ICC said it was still awaiting an official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) conveying their “position of selective participation”.

“While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the Dubai-based body said in a statement on Sunday.

The government has not publicly detailed its reasoning, but Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, linked the move to security tensions with India.

“Nothing is more important than the memory of Pakistani citizens and troops murdered by Indian proxy terrorists over the weekend,” Zaidi said.

“With funerals taking place today, this was the least that could be done.”

The remarks followed coordinated attacks by Fitna Al Hindustan militants across Balochistan province over the weekend that killed nearly 50 people.

Pakistan’s World Cup jersey has been branded the “Markhor Edition,” after the national animal, a symbol of resilience also used in military iconography.

Let cricket just be a game

On the streets of Pakistan’s major cities, many cricket fans backed the boycott as a response to what they see as India’s growing arrogance.

“This arrogance of India should be broken a little,” said Mohammad Asghar, a fan in Karachi.

“They should realise someone has come forward to challenge them.”

Others drew parallels with Bangladesh’s earlier withdrawal from the tournament over safety concerns, a move that led to Scotland replacing them.

“If Bangladesh can boycott for one player’s safety, why can’t Pakistan take a stand?” said Ayaz Ahmed.

The decision also sparked heated debate on social media, with users divided between calls for “self-respect” and warnings that skipping the match could further isolate Pakistan in global cricket.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi agreed.

“Cricket can open doors when politics closes them,” he wrote on X.

“It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India, but this is the moment for the ICC to prove it is impartial.”