Zurich – FIFA has issued an apology to the Ukrainian soccer federation after a map displayed during the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw excluded Crimea from Ukraine’s territory, sparking backlash from Kyiv.
“We fully understand the delicate sensitivity of this matter, and while the incident was unintentional, we sincerely regret any concern it may have caused,” FIFA’s chief member association officer, Elkhan Mammadov, wrote in a letter shared by Ukraine’s soccer body on Sunday.
The controversy arose during Friday’s draw in Zurich, where Ukraine was among 54 teams assigned to qualifying groups for the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. A graphic used during the event depicted Crimea as separate from Ukrainian territory. Russia has illegally occupied Crimea since 2014, and FIFA has banned Russia from competitions due to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s government swiftly responded, with spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi criticizing FIFA on social media platform X. “Are you OK, @FIFAcom? We fixed the map for you and expect a public apology,” Tykhyi wrote.
FIFA attributed the error to an external supplier and pledged to review procedures to prevent similar issues.
In the qualifying draw, Ukraine was placed in a group alongside either France or Croatia, as well as Iceland and Azerbaijan. The group winner will earn direct entry to the World Cup, while the runner-up will compete in a playoff scheduled for March 2026.
This incident marks another strain in FIFA’s relationship with Ukraine, as FIFA and UEFA continue to enforce a ban on Russian teams in international tournaments, citing potential disruptions from federations unwilling to face Russia.
