Will the Russian national team participate in the CAFA tournament?

The Central Asian Football Association — CAFA — has officially invited the Russian national team to participate in the Nations Cup to be held in September 2025. However, the participation of the Russian team in this tournament is still in great doubt.

Who are the members of CAFA?
The association includes the following countries:
- Uzbekistan,
- Iran,
- Kyrgyzstan,
- Tajikistan,
- Turkmenistan,
- Afghanistan.

The 2023 CAFA tournament was held in Uzbekistan, where Iran won the championship, while Oman participated as a guest team.

Why might the Russian team not play in CAFA?
A source familiar with the situation said that the Russian team led by Karpin received an invitation to the CAFA tournament in September, but the chances of participating are very low.

“The tournament has four tightly scheduled matches. At the moment, the Russian Football Union is paying great attention to two friendlies,” the source said.

In addition, the match between Russia and Iran scheduled for October 6 is also incompatible with the tournament. The Russian side does not plan to play a second match against Iran in addition to this match, which would not fit into the format of the CAFA.

CAFA Nations Cup in brief
- September 2025 — Second edition of the Nations Cup
- Uzbekistan will host
- 2023 winner — Iran
- 2023 guest — Oman

What do you think — how important is the participation of the Russian national team in the CAFA competition for the level of the tournament? What other countries can join the competition? Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!