The Russian Football Union (RFU) launched the 'RFU. Quality'…
The Russian Football Union (RFU) launched the 'RFU. Quality' certification program to evaluate football balls used in domestic professional and amateur competitions, aiming to reduce reliance on FIFA's certification system and support local manufacturers. The system categorizes balls into 'RFU Start', 'RFU Standard', and 'RFU Pro' levels based on lab testing.
Consensus
- The Russian Football Union (RFU) has launched the 'RFU. Quality' program to assess sports equipment quality in domestic football competitions.
- The first stage of the program involves certification of footballs used in RFU-organized tournaments.
- Football balls are categorized into three levels: 'RFU Start', 'RFU Standard', 'RFU Pro' based on laboratory testing results.
- The new system aims to reduce Russia's dependence on FIFA's Quality certification, which has been restricted since 2022.
- Funds from certification will be directed toward developing youth football.
- The RFU began working on the system in 2022 in coordination with FIFA.
- The national certification system is based on FIFA's international requirements and supplemented by Rosstandart standards.
- The RFU stated that the national system may be used even in international matches.
- Russia has created a modern laboratory capable of conducting tests and developing new technologies, eliminating the need for foreign testing centers.
Points of divergence
- The RFU has already used domestically produced balls that passed quality control in official friendly matches by the Russian national team. — kommersant
- Even if a ball fully meets all FIFA requirements, it cannot receive the FIFA Quality or FIFA Quality Pro label, making its use in official competitions impossible. — m24
- The RFU has abolished the youth player quota in the First League, effective from the 2026/27 season, though it remains for Second League clubs. — m24
Coverage (2 sources)
- RFS launched a system for certifying football balls — Коммерсантъ
- RFS launched a system for certifying football balls — Москва 24