This week, over 20 countries from around the world will compete for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They will participate in the qualification playoffs, where only six national teams from this group will advance to the world’s most prestigious soccer competition. One of the playoff participants will be Ukraine.
For casual soccer (football) fans, the Eastern European country’s involvement in the qualification playoffs may not mean much. Ukraine is one of 16 European teams competing for four of the six remaining World Cup places, and the Ukrainians have a national team that is not as widely followed as some of the more popular European teams competing this March, such as Italy, Poland, Turkey, Denmark, or Ireland. Instead, sports enthusiasts and individuals following world events may be more inclined to think about Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine rather than a potential Ukrainian involvement at the World Cup this summer.
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But for Ukrainians, participation in the qualification playoffs, especially during an ongoing war, is of great significance. Just last week, the Russian Federation launched another missile and drone strike on Kyiv, where several residential areas were damaged. NPR reported that at least four civilians were killed and more than a dozen were injured. Meanwhile, Reuters noted that the Ukrainian regions of Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Mykolaiv were targeted in Russian missile and drone attacks, resulting in damage to Ukrainian infrastructure.
For more than four years, the Ukrainians have defended themselves against Russia’s full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian Armed Forces and volunteer battalions have managed to contain Russian forces in southern and eastern Ukraine, but thousands of Ukrainian lives have been lost. Continuous Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine have resulted in the destruction of several cities, villages, and towns, and millions of Ukrainians have been forced to flee the country. Based on the devastation and destruction caused by the war, experts from the World Bank, the United Nations, and the European Commission estimate that it will cost around half a trillion dollars to rebuild Ukraine.
Given the constant pressures Ukrainians have faced throughout the war, many civilians and members of the armed forces have searched for avenues to temporarily distance themselves from the ongoing Russian invasion. Some have turned to sports to take their minds off the daily burdens of the war. The Ukrainians understand that sports will not end the war, but they believe that participating in these events, whether as spectators or athletes, will help positively shape their mindset as they continue to find forms of resilience in the fight against Russian aggression.
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“In the midst of war, these World Cup playoffs carry enormous significance for Ukraine and its people,” Ukrainian soccer blogger Michael Jaworskyj told me in an interview. “Football and sport allow people to briefly forget the ongoing devastation being caused by Russia, whether that be a young football fan sat eagerly watching the game in the likes of Kyiv, or heroes on the frontline in the east watching or listening on a radio or television.”
Members of Ukraine’s senior men’s national soccer team understand that they are under additional pressure to perform during the qualification playoffs this month. Under normal circumstances, athletes want to perform at their best to make their countries and their countrymen and women proud. For them, qualifying for the World Cup would bring a sense of national pride and put a spotlight on their history, culture, and traditions. In Ukraine’s case, these athletes will hope to bring a sense of optimism and joy to their fellow compatriots in an otherwise difficult period in Ukrainian history.
“The morale football gives to Ukraine is huge, and this game more than ever,” Jaworskyj told me. “Qualifying for the World Cup would give Ukraine a huge platform for Ukrainian voices to be heard. It could be a huge turning point in shining a light on what is truly happening in Ukraine.”
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These Ukrainian soccer players also view the qualification playoffs and the potential to compete at the World Cup as an opportunity for sports diplomacy. As unofficial ambassadors of their country, they will hope to remind the international community of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“Ukraine will get a global audience of multiple billions who will tune in to watch their games regardless of who they will face,” Ukrainian soccer journalist Andrew Todos told me in an interview. “This will be an optimal chance to ensure the world is reminded about the atrocities being caused to Ukrainian cities and citizens. This would come in the build-up to the tournament and during the grand event itself.”
The war is also personal for many Ukrainian soccer players. Six of the current members of the senior men’s national soccer team work and reside in Kyiv. They also have family in the Ukrainian capital, a city that has been consistently targeted by Russian missile and drone attacks. An additional eight players of the current national team are from provinces in eastern Ukraine, where many cities have been attacked by Russian forces. Many of these Ukrainian athletes also have family members and friends living under Russian occupation. Finally, several Ukrainian soccer players have had friends and colleagues killed during the war. These points have added to the psychological pressure for these athletes. As a result, members of Ukraine’s senior men’s national team hope to qualify for the World Cup this summer as a way to honor their family, friends, and other Ukrainians who currently live under occupation or who have lost their lives during the ongoing war against Russia.
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“Ukraine has not played a ‘home’ match inside the territory of Ukraine since 2021” due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Todos told me. “If Ukraine makes the tournament, having played all of its matches abroad, it will be a phenomenal achievement.”
When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, FIFA ruled that Ukrainian soccer teams playing in international competitions must play their matches outside of Ukraine due to safety reasons. Since then, the Ukrainians have played their “home” matches in European countries such as Poland, Germany, Czechia, and Spain.
Ukraine has been selected as the home team for its group of World Cup qualification playoff matches this month. However, due to the ongoing Russian invasion, the Ukrainians will have to play these games outside of Ukraine. The first playoff game, which will be against Sweden on March 26, will be played in Valencia, Spain. Should the Ukrainians win that match, then they will host the playoff final against either Poland or Albania. The winner of the final would then qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America this summer.
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“[The playoffs are] a huge opportunity to make the World Cup and use the platform to remind everyone about what is happening back home,” Todos concluded. “If Ukraine makes the World Cup, the current team would set a historic precedent. I expect the majority of the country, and Ukrainians around the world, to be tuning into both matches.”
Much will be riding on Ukraine’s soccer players to deliver during the World Cup qualification matches this month. Should the Ukrainians succeed in their objective, then their achievement will be met with optimism and cheer by Ukrainians worldwide. It will provide Ukrainians with a moment to ease the pressures of the ongoing war, and it will boost the morale of Ukrainian citizens and soldiers in their fight against Russia.
Qualifying for the World Cup will not end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nor will it impact ongoing peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Nonetheless, Ukraine’s soccer players will have an opportunity to make history for their country and their fans. Soccer enthusiasts and geopolitical observers of the Russia-Ukraine War will be anxious to see if Ukraine’s senior men’s national soccer team will succeed during the playoffs, and if the Ukrainians will feature in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America this summer.