Ukraine's national team has received rivals in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, and FIFA is involved in another scandal
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine's national team was placed in Group D with France/Croatia, Iceland, and Azerbaijan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. During the draw, FIFA showed a map of Ukraine without Crimea.
On Friday, December 13, the draw for the group stage of the 2026 UEFA World Cup qualifiers took place in Zurich, and the national team of Ukraine learned its rivals.
This is reported by the Ukrainian Football Association, reports UNN.
Details
According to the UAF, Ukraine's national team will play in a group with Iceland, Azerbaijan and the winner of the France vs. Croatia match in the League of Nations at the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
addition
A total of 54 teams will take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, which will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The national teams were divided into six baskets based on their performance in the 2024/25 Nations League season and their positions in the FIFA rankings.
Ukraine was included in the second basket.
The groups in the selection are as follows:
Group A:
Winner: Germany/Italy, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg;
group B:
Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo;
group C:
defeated by Portugal/Denmark, Greece, Scotland, Belarus;
Group D:
winner France / Croatia, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan;
Group e:
winner Spain / Netherlands, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria;
group F:
Winner Portugal/Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia;
Group G:
defeated Spain / Netherlands, Poland, Finland,Lithuania, Malta;
Group H:
Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino;
group I:
defeated Germany / Italy, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova;
group J:
Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein;
Group K:
England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra;
group L:
Winner France/Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar.
The qualifiers in the European zone will last from March 2025 to March 2026 and will consist of two rounds. The teams will compete for 16 tickets to the World Cup. The 2026 World Cup is the first ever World Cup to feature 48 national teams in the final round (previously there were 36 teams).
There will be 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group and the top eight third teams will advance to the 1/16 finals.
During the draw, FIFA got into another scandal. By demonstrating countries that cannot meet each other in qualifying, FIFA has shown the contours of Ukraine without Crimea.
Recall
In 2022, the Argentine national team became the World Cup champion for the first time since 1986, defeating France.
