The head coach of the Ukraine national football team, Serhiy Rebrov, answered journalists’ questions ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Iceland.

According to the press service of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF), the head coach of the “blue-and-yellow” team stressed that only a win in this match will allow the side to continue the fight for a playoff spot in the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Ukrinform reports.

“Regarding the plan for the game – unfortunately, we often have injuries, so we work with those who are in the squad. It is they who tomorrow must determine the result. We must preserve what we had in Iceland (5:3): fast attacks in the first half, from which we scored. And the second-half ball recoveries – they also yielded goals. These factors are important to preserve. We will be more aggressive, as we are playing at home and only a victory suits us. We must think about how to score. If we score first, that does not mean we have to retreat. The character will come to the fore. The players must be fighters. We are fighting for all of Ukraine. And tomorrow there will be strong support (in Warsaw) – Ukrainians, Poles. All of us must show character

– Serhiy Rebrov

Position and context of the match

The Ukraine vs Iceland match will take place on Sunday, November 16, in Warsaw at Legia Stadium (kick-off at 19:00 Kyiv time). To reach the playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, the blue-and-yellow team needs only a victory.

At the moment in Group D the standings are as follows: France – 13 points, Iceland – 7, Ukraine – 7, Azerbaijan – 1.

Following the group stage, 12 group winners will advance to the playoffs. Additionally, four European spots will be determined by the results of playoff matches among the 16 teams.

The playoff round will include 12 teams that finished second in their groups, as well as the four best Nations League group winners from 2024/25 who did not finish first or second in their groups.

The final part of the 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The opening match is scheduled for June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, with the final on July 19 in New York.