The two countries may face each other later this year, Brazilian media have reported, citing the national football confederation

Brazil has agreed in principle to play a soccer friendly against Russia this autumn, local media reported Monday. Russia is currently barred from official FIFA and UEFA tournaments due to the Ukraine conflict.

Journalist Galvao Bueno of the Band.com.br news outlet revealed a letter from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) dated August 2024, confirming that it had accepted an invitation from the Russian Football Union (RFU) to play a match in Moscow in 2025.

The confederation has reportedly informed Russian officials that the Brazilian national team would be available during the FIFA international match windows from October 6 to 14 and November 10 to 18.

"We believe that collaboration between the Brazilian Football Confederation and the Russian Football Union will be fundamental to strengthening ties and further enhancing the global football ecosystem," the CBF reportedly wrote.

"The national team board will be mobilized to work towards holding the aforementioned game," it added.

The correspondence signals Brazil's willingness to schedule the match, although no official agreement has been reached. Details including dates, venues, and logistical arrangements reportedly remain under discussion.

Both federations are expected to continue negotiations in the coming months. If confirmed, the match would mark a rare meeting between the two national teams outside of official tournaments. The last time the two teams played each other was in March 2018 ahead of the World Cup in Russia, when Brazil recorded a 3-0 win at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.

The Russian national football team has maintained an unbeaten record since its suspension from international competitions in February 2022. In the past three years, Russia has played a series of friendly matches, securing victories against countries such as Cuba (8-0), Serbia (4-0), Belarus (4-0), Vietnam (3-0), Brunei (11-0), Syria (4-0), Grenada (5-0), and Zambia (5-0).

Despite Russia's ban from official competitions, FIFA has continued to award ranking points for the friendly matches, contributing to Russia's climb to 34th in the world rankings.

(RT.com)