The Ukrainian national football team was placed in the second pot during the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualification. The tournament, which will be held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, will be another challenge for the “blue and yellow” team, who will fight for a place among the best.
Key features of the draw
The draw ceremony will take place on December 13. Serhiy Rebrov's team has been drawn into the second-strongest pot, which will determine its opponents on the way to the world championship.
The first pot included the strongest European teams, including:
- Spain
- Germany
- Portugal
- France
- Italy
This list includes titled rivals that Ukraine will avoid, but at the same time will face difficult opponents from the third or fourth pot.
Who will be Ukraine's rivals?
Ukraine will definitely not play against teams that are also in the second pot:
- Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Norway, Romania, Turkey, Sweden, Serbia, etc.
However, possible opponents include the teams in the third pot, including Scotland, Slovenia, Georgia, and Israel, as well as representatives of the lower pots – Luxembourg, Belarus, Latvia, or even Moldova.
The Ukrainian national team will begin its participation in the selection no earlier than June 2025, as in March it will compete in the Nations League playoffs for the right to play in the tournament's highest division.
The second pot guarantees that Ukraine will avoid several strong opponents, but the fight for a place in Mexico, the USA and Canada will be difficult. The success of Serhiy Rebrov's team will depend on the draw, preparation and ability to overcome strong opponents.
Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated that it can compete even with the favorites, and this selection may be another chance to show character.
