Alaev explained the reasons for the cancellation of the RPL Cup this summer

There is interest from clubs and partners in hosting the Russian Premier League (RPL) Summer Cup, but the tournament will not take place in 2026 due to the focus on the World Cup, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico. This was announced on June 5 by RPL President Alexander Alaev on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold the summer tournament. We talked to our partners and clubs. There was a final meeting on Tuesday. We discussed winter and summer stories. We all want to host the summer cup, partners and clubs. But the World Cup, the attention is focused on it as much as possible," TASS quoted him as saying.

Alaev clarified that the winter cup will be held, and the summer cup may be held next year, subject to the availability of time and resources. The RPL President also indicated his interest in holding this event.

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The International Football Federation (FIFA) announced on June 2 that the final bids of the national teams participating in the 2026 World Cup included 12 players who competed in the last season of the "World of the Russian Premier League". At the same time, Zenit St. Petersburg, Dynamo Moscow and Krasnodar received the largest representation among Russian clubs — two players from each of these teams will go to the World Cup.