Russia at the FIFA

World Cup

Russia has participated in 4 FIFA World

Cups since its independence in
December 1991. The Russian Federation
played their first international match
against Mexico on 16 August 1992,
winning 2–0.[1] Their first participation in
a World Cup was in the United States in
1994 where they achieved 18th place.
In 1946, the Soviet Union was accepted
by FIFA and entered their first World Cup
in Sweden 1958. The Soviet Union
national football team played in 7 World
Cups. Their best performance was
reaching fourth place in England 1966.
The USSR was dissolved in 1991 when
Belarus, Russia and Ukraine declared
independence under the Belavezha
Accords, along with Georgia. The CIS
national football team (Commonwealth
of Independent States) was formed with
other independent nations in 1992 for the
purpose of competing in UEFA Euro
1992. Russia was recognized as the
official successor of the Soviet Union by
FIFA and inherited the records of the
Soviet Union.

Russia most recently qualified for the

2018 edition as hosts. They were banned
from the 2022 edition during
qualification. The last time Russia failed
to qualify after a full qualification round
was in 2010.

Overview

History

Champions Runners-up Third

place Fourth place
 FIFA World Cup record Qualification record

Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA Campaign

as Soviet Union as Soviet Union

—
1930

Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member 1934

1934

1938
1938

1950
1950
Did not enter Did not enter

1954
1954

6th 5 2 1 2 5 6 5 4 0 1 18 3 1958
1958 Quarter-
finals
6th 4 2 1 1 9 7 4 4 0 0 11 3 1962
1962

Fourth
4th 6 4 0 2 10 6 6 5 0 1 19 6 1966
1966 place

Quarter-
5th 4 2 1 1 6 2 4 3 1 0 8 1 1970
1970 finals

6 3 1 2 5 4 1974
1974
Did not qualify

4 2 0 2 5 3 1978
1978

Second
group 7th 5 2 2 1 7 4 8 6 2 0 20 2 1982
1982
stage

Round of
10th 4 2 1 1 12 5 8 4 2 2 13 8 1986
1986 16

Group
17th 3 1 0 2 4 4 8 4 3 1 11 4 1990
1990 stage

as Russia as Russia
 Group
18th 3 1 0 2 7 6 8 5 2 1 15 4 1994
1994 stage

Did not qualify 8 5 2 1 19 5 1998

1998

Group
22nd 3 1 0 2 4 4 10 7 2 1 18 5 2002
2002 stage

12 6 5 1 23 12 2006
2006
Did not qualify

10 7 1 2 19 6 2010
2010

Group
24th 3 0 2 1 2 3 10 7 1 2 20 5 2014
2014 stage

Quarter-
8th 5 2 2 1 11 7 Qualified as hosts 2018
2018 finals

Banned during qualification 10 7 1 2 19 6 2022

2022

2026
2026

2030
To be determined To be determined
2030

2034
2034

2038
2038

Fourth
Total 11/26 45 19 10 16 77 54 125 80 24 21 246 81 Total
place

*Draws include knockout matches

decided via penalty shoot-out
 Russia's World Cup record

Soviet Union 2–2 England

First Match
(8 June 1958; Gothenburg, Sweden)

Soviet Union 6–0 Hungary

Biggest Win
(2 June 1986; Irapuato, Mexico)

Uruguay 3–0 Russia

Biggest Defeat
(25 June 2018; Samara, Russia)

Best Result Fourth place in 1966

Worst Result Group stage in 1990, 1994, 2002 and 2014

Record vs

As Soviet Union

FIFA World Cup matches (by team)

Against Wins Draws Losses Total GS GA GD

Argentina 0 0 1 1 0 2 –2

Austria 1 0 0 1 2 0 +2

Belgium 2 0 1 3 8 5 +3

Brazil 0 0 2 2 1 4 –3

Cameroon 1 0 0 1 4 0 +4

Canada 1 0 0 1 2 0 +2

Chile 1 0 1 2 3 3 0

Colombia 0 1 0 1 4 4 0

El Salvador 1 0 0 1 2 0 +2

England 1 1 0 2 3 2 +1

France 0 1 0 1 1 1 0

Hungary 2 0 0 2 8 1 +7

Italy 1 0 0 1 1 0 +1

Mexico 0 1 0 1 0 0 0

New Zealand 1 0 0 1 3 0 +3

North Korea 1 0 0 1 3 0 +3

Poland 0 1 0 1 0 0 0

Portugal 0 0 1 1 1 2 –1

Romania 0 0 1 1 0 2 –2

Scotland 0 1 0 1 2 2 0

Sweden 0 0 1 1 0 2 –2

Uruguay 1 0 1 2 2 2 0
 West Germany 0 0 1 1 1 2 –1

Yugoslavia 1 0 0 1 2 0 +2

TOTAL 15 6 10 31 55 34 +19

As Russia

FIFA World Cup matches (By team)

Against Wins Draws Losses Total GS GA GD

Algeria 0 1 0 1 1 1 0

Belgium 0 0 2 2 2 4 –2

Brazil 0 0 1 1 0 2 –2

Cameroon 1 0 0 1 6 1 +5

Croatia 0 1 0 1 2 2 0

Egypt 1 0 0 1 3 1 +2

Japan 0 0 1 1 1 0 +1

Saudi Arabia 1 0 0 1 5 0 +5

Spain 0 1 0 1 1 1 0

South Korea 0 1 0 1 1 1 0

Sweden 0 0 1 1 1 3 –2

Tunisia 1 0 0 1 2 0 +2

Uruguay 0 0 1 1 0 3 –3

TOTAL 4 4 6 14 25 22 +3

Last update 8 July 2018

Soviet Union in Sweden 1958

 Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts

Brazil 3 2 1 0 5 0 ∞ 5

Soviet Union 3 1 1 1 4 4 1.00 3

England 3 0 3 0 4 4 1.00 3

Austria 3 0 1 2 2 7 0.28 1

8 June 1958
19:00 CET