Russia was unable to participate at the recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar after it was banned from taking part in the qualification rounds.
“We don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. Meanwhile, the AFC is open to accepting us into its midst,” Aleksandr Dyukov, the president of the Russian Football Union (RFU), said.
Dyukov was due to preside over a historic meeting of the RFU's executive committee on Tuesday, where officials could decide whether to abandon European football and join the likes of Japan, Syria and Australia in the AFC in a bid to make the 2026 World Cup.
Such a move would affect Russia’s club powerhouses such as Zenit, Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow, who would no longer be able to feature in UEFA competitions like the Champions League.