Football in Russia

thumb|A typical Soviet stadium in [[Vladivostok.]]

thumb|[[Otkrytiye Arena is Spartak Moscow's home ground, opened in 2014.]]

Association football is the most popular sport in Russia, closely contesting ice hockey. Approximately 52% of the Russians are interested in football.

Men's football is overseen by the Russian Football Union, having the Russian Premier League as the first tier of the Russian football league system, with the Russian Football National League being the second tier.

Following the break up of the USSR

With the USSR collapsing in 1991, Russia emerged as its successor state, with the Soviet football federation being transformed in the Russian football federation. While the national teams and the clubs used to be linked to state institutions or mass organizations, in 1991 some of them became private enterprises. Just like in many other spheres of business, corrupt and sometimes bloody division of power began. Furthermore, many teams of the erstwhile Soviet Top League, were now divided between the national football associations of the newly independent republics. Many of the top brand names lost their financing from the government and were left to rot, waiting for some forms of sponsorship. Citizens of Russia are interested mostly in the national team that gets to compete in the World Cup and the European Championship, and in the Premier league, where clubs from different cities look to become champions of Russia. There are also competitions considered less important, such as the Russian Cup. Some of the most successful clubs include Spartak Moscow, Lokomotiv Moscow, CSKA Moscow, Zenit St. Petersburg, Dynamo Moscow and FC Torpedo Moscow.

Today, football is the most popular in Russia, beating hockey. Foreign players sometimes face a very hostile environment. A problem of racism in Russian football is particularly important.

The Russian national team gained attention when they defeated traditional European powerhouse Netherlands 3–1 in the Euro 2008 quarterfinals before losing to eventual champions Spain. Nevertheless, four players made the Team of the Tournament. Some players such as Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko earned big-money moves to the English Premier League after impressing at the tournament. Currently, the majority of Russian footballers play in a home league mainly due to the foreign players limits. This causes a significant disbalance in players' salaries with Russian footballers getting more than their foreign counterparts only because of their nationality.

Thus as of 2010 the Russian Premier League was among the best in Eastern Europe, as evidenced by recent victories in the UEFA Cup (CSKA Moscow defeated Sporting CP in the 2005 final and Zenit St. Petersburg earned a victory over Rangers F.C. in the 2008 UEFA Cup in Manchester and also claimed the UEFA Super Cup in a 2–1 win over Manchester United.)

On 28 February 2022, due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and in accordance with a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA and UEFA suspended the participation of Russia, including in the Qatar 2022 World Cup. The Russian Football Union unsuccessfully appealed the FIFA and UEFA bans to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld the bans. and the transitional CIS national football team, which took part in the Euro 1992. Since the collapse of Soviet Union the Russia national team has had success in Euro 2008 before it took ten years to repeat this feat, this time as host of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Russian team was eliminated in the group stage of the 1994 World Cup, 2002 World Cup, 2014 World Cup, Euro 1992 (as CIS), Euro 1996, Euro 2004, Euro 2012, Euro 2016 and Euro 2020. Russia didn't qualify for the major tournaments on four occasions: in 1998, 2000, 2006 and 2010. Russian team is currently ranked 35th in the FIFA World Ranking.

Hosting the World Cup

On December 2, 2010, Russia was awarded the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Russia hosted the tournament for the first time, becoming the largest country to host the World Cup, a title held by the United States since 1994.

Cup competitions

The main cup competition in Russia is the Russian Cup. Only professional clubs take part in it.

There is also an Amateur Football League Cup, a competition for the Amateur Football League clubs. The winners of this cup are eligible for promotion to the Second Division. Cups of federal subjects are also played.

European competitions

The Russian League was in 2013 regarded as the 6th strongest league in Europe, based on the UEFA coefficient.

Russian club sides used to constantly compete in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League. Over the last years Russian clubs have won three major European trophies. These are 2004–05 UEFA Cup won by CSKA Moscow, 2007–08 UEFA Cup and 2008 UEFA Super Cup won by Zenit St. Petersburg.

Women's football

Women's football is not as popular in Russia as men's football, although it has increased in popularity in the 2000s.

Football stadiums in Russia

Stadiums with a capacity of 40,000 or higher are included. The Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex is the largest stadium in Russia, followed by the Gazprom Arena, the home of FC Zenit. On 24 May 2023, Zenit became the first Russian sports club with 10 million followers on social media.

Attendances

The average attendance per top-flight football league season and the club with the highest average attendance:

{| class="wikitable"

! Year !! League average !! Best club !! Best club average

| 2025 || 12,104 || Zenit || 35,691

| 2024 || 11,162 || Zenit || 28,159

| 2023 || 9,462 || Zenit || 31,236

| 2022 || — || — || —

| 2021 || — || — || —

| 2020 || 17,393 || Zenit || 47,700

| 2019 || 16,723 || Zenit || 48,122

| 2018 || 13,969 || Zenit || 43,963

| 2017 || 11,333 || Spartak || 32,760

| 2016 || 11,085 || Spartak || 25,179

| 2015 || 10,306 || Spartak || 25,001

| 2014 || 11,620 || Zenit || 18,952

| 2013 || 13,180 || Kuban || 20,934

| 2012 || 12,903 || Kuban || 20,786

| 2010 || 12,250 || Spartak || 23,450

| 2009 || 12,517 || Spartak || 25,253

| 2008 || 13,334 || Krylia Sovetov || 21,700

| 2007 || 13,543 || Spartak || 24,067

| 2006 || 11,890 || Zenit || 21,954

| 2005 || 12,241 || Krylia Sovetov || 20,833

| 2004 || 11,574 || Krylia Sovetov || 25,500

| 2003 || 11,737 || Krylia Sovetov || 26,393

| 2002 || 11,643 || Alania || 22,933

| 2001 || 12,404 || Krylia Sovetov || 23,933

| 2000 || 11,820 || Fakel || 23,120

| 1999 || 10,886 || Alania || 21,400

| 1998 || 10,381 || Alania || 26,333

| 1997 || 10,943 || Alania || 27,176

| 1996 || 9,813 || Alania || 27,547

| 1995 || 9,228 || Alania || 33,467

<small>Source:</small>