FIFA has already revealed the banned country that could return ahead of 2026 World Cup

A suspended nation could return to action ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which is set to take place in the US, Mexico and Canada next summer.

Football’s showpiece event will take place in 16 cities across the three nations between June 11 and July 19, 2026, with 48 countries set to take part.

The three host nations as well as Japan, New Zealand and Iran have already secured their spot at the finals.

It is likely that the usual big hitters such as England, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands and France will also be at the tournament next summer - qualification permitting.

However, another country which has been suspended by FIFA since February 2022 could also return to action - although it is unclear how they would qualify for the event if the current measures were lifted.

Russia’s national and domestic teams were banned by UEFA and FIFA after the country’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Athletic reports that the two countries held U.S-mitigated peace talks in Saudi Arabia in March which could pave the way for a return to FIFA-sanctioned football for Russia.

Speaking on Thursday (April 3), FIFA president Gianni Infantino explained how he was hopeful that he could bring Russia back in the “football landscape”.

Russia ahead of a friendly against Grenada in March (Credit:Getty)

“As talks are going on for peace in Ukraine, I hope that we can soon move to the next page, bring back, as well, Russia in the football landscape because this would mean that everything is solved,” the FIFA president said at the 49th UEFA Congress in Belgrade, Serbia.

“That’s what we have to cheer for, that’s what we have to pray for — because that is what football is about. It’s not about dividing, it’s about uniting girls, uniting boys, uniting people from wherever they are.”

But for this to happen, the decision would need to be supported by a majority vote from UEFA’s Executive Committee (ExCo).

“As I’ve said many times before, when the war stops, they will be readmitted,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin at the Congress.

But what is Ukraine's stance on Russia's potential return to competitive action?

The Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) said in February that a decision to allow Russia to compete would “ignore the suffering of thousands of Ukrainians" and suggested the suspension should be upheld until the war is over.