2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Ukraine national team to play against France today
Kyiv • UNN
The Ukrainian national football team will play its first 2026 World Cup qualifier against France in Wroclaw. Bookmakers consider France the favorite, despite their squad losses.
Today, September 5, the Ukrainian national football team will play its first match in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Our team will meet the French national team in Wroclaw, Poland, at 9:45 PM. UNN tells who is the favorite of the match and where to watch it.
Match, stadium
The first match against France in Wroclaw, Poland, at "Tarczyński Arena Wrocław" as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Group D, which, in addition to Ukraine and France, includes Azerbaijan and Iceland, will start at 9:45 PM Kyiv time.
At the end of August, the head coach of the Ukrainian national team, Serhiy Rebrov, determined the list of players who will prepare for the opening matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament against France and Azerbaijan. For the first time, Dynamo Kyiv defender Taras Mykhavko and Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Oleh Ocheretko were called up to the national team.
However, Ukraine has already lost three players. Defender Vitaliy Mykolenko left the Ukrainian national team due to an injury. He will be replaced by Vladyslav Dubinchak in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against France and Azerbaijan.
Also, goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who was replaced by Heorhiy Bushchan, and Oleksandr Tymchyk, who was replaced by Bohdan Mykhailichenko, will not help.
In addition, the forward of the Ukrainian national team and Greek "Olympiacos" Roman Yaremchuk suffered an injury for the club, and will not help the national team in the game against France in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, the French also lost several key players. Defender William Saliba, who was injured in Arsenal's last match, will be replaced by Inter defender Benjamin Pavard. In addition, instead of Manchester City striker Rayan Cherki, who was injured, Hugo Ekitike from Liverpool will join the national team.
Match referees
The teams will be led onto the field of "Tarczyński Arena Wrocław" by a quartet of referees from the Netherlands, headed by Danny Makkelie. He will be assisted on the lines by Hessel Steegstra and Jan de Vries. Allart Lindhout will serve as the fourth official, and the VAR system will be handled by Dutchmen Dennis Higler and Richard Martens.
Danny Makkelie
Makkelie is known to "Dnipro" and "Zorya" fans, as he officiated matches in 2015 "Olympiacos" – "Dnipro" (2:2) in the Europa League, and in 2018 in the qualification of the same tournament he worked on the match "RB Leipzig" – "Zorya" (3:2).
Where to watch The live broadcast will be available on the MEGOGO media service and for free on the MEGOGO Sport TV channel on T2 and cable networks.
Favorite
Bookmakers give a confident advantage to the French national team, on whose victory you can bet with odds of 1.4. The odds for Ukraine's victory are 8.7, and for a draw - 4.7.