Russia have dropped plans to compete at this year's Central Asian Football Association, they have announced ©Getty Images

The Russian Football Union (RFU) have confirmed they are withdrawing from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Championships scheduled for June in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan because of what have been described "organisation difficulties."

The RFU had been considering transferring its affiliation to the Asian Football Confederation, but that proposal appears to have been set aside as talks with UEFA continue, although RFU Secretary General Maxim Mitrofanov has also admitted that negotiations on the topic are proving "difficult". 

Russia has only played five friendly matches since the international ban was imposed following the invasion of Ukraine, but recorded a 2-0 win over Iraq in their first home match last month.

The match was played at the Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg, which was to have hosted last year's UEFA Champions League Final before it was stripped of hosting rights and the match transferred to Paris. 

"We are negotiating with UEFA about the restoration, removal of bans, negotiations are difficult, these are long conversations that go on all the time," Mitrofanov told Russia's official state news agency TASS.

"UEFA does not want the RFU to leave, and the RFU does not want to leave, but nevertheless, it is very important to restore the games for the clubs, youth teams and the first team, of course we want to play."

Russia's match against Iraq in Saint Petersburg last month was their fifth friendly since the ban was imposed by FIFA and UEFA following the invasion of Ukraine ©Getty Images
Russia's match against Iraq in Saint Petersburg last month was their fifth friendly since the ban was imposed by FIFA and UEFA following the invasion of Ukraine ©Getty Images

The decision to pull out of the CAFA Championships had been widely predicted.

"Yesterday we sent an official letter to CAFA and notified our colleagues. We have a number of organisational difficulties," Mitrofanov said.

The decision to withdraw from the CAFA tournament has been endorsed by RFU Honorary President Vyacheslav Koloskov

"I think that this is an absolutely realistic and correct decision," Koloskov told TASS.

"Participation should pursue some goal, the main goal in this case is to prepare for some kind of official competition, but now the national team has nothing to prepare for, so what's the point of gathering the players after a busy season, why do we need to do this and 'bash' them?" 

The CAFA Championships are scheduled to take place from June 9 to 21 June in the Uzbek capital Tashkent and Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek.

Afghanistan, Iran,Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are expected to join the host nations, along with one another Asian team.