Ukraine has not played in a World Cup since the quarter-final loss to Italy in 2006. The team lost – just like Sweden – in the final of the playoff for the 2022 World Cup and missed the championship in Qatar.
Now the countries will meet in the semi-finals of the World Cup playoff in March.
“Enormously large”
"It would be huge if Ukraine went to the World Cup. It would put Ukraine on a pedestal for the whole world – a reminder of the ongoing war where people are still dying every day," Andrew Todos, who has followed the Ukrainian men's national team as a freelance journalist for the past eight years, tells TT.
"Sport has a unifying force in the war-torn country," he says.
People who don't normally follow football are getting involved. They're getting some respite from the atrocities they experience on a daily basis, and playing in the World Cup would give renewed hope to those on the front lines.
In Sweden, Ukraine was described as a dream opponent after Thursday's draw. The tone is the opposite in Ukraine – despite Sweden being responsible for a miserable World Cup qualifier.
Sweden was definitely the toughest opposition we could get from that pool. Mostly because of the squad Sweden has on paper and their injured players are expected to be back in March, says Andrew Todos.
Don't believe in gambling in Poland
Ukraine has the home field advantage, but only on paper. The last time the national team played on Ukrainian soil was in a friendly match against Bulgaria in November 2021.
Russia's full-scale offensive war has forced the nation to play "at home" in Poland, Germany, Spain and Slovakia over the past four years. Against major football nations and in important matches, the support has been great.
"No matter what city the games have been played in, there has been strong support. There is a fairly large Ukrainian diaspora in Europe and all over the world. They come to support their team," says Andrew Todos.
The three home matches in the World Cup qualifiers have been played in Poland, but he does not believe that there will be an election on March 26 when Sweden awaits in the semi-finals. This is despite the fact that around five million Ukrainians live in Poland, according to Todos.
"Ukraine is the home team in the final as well, and Poland can wait there. I think they will choose a country and a place where they can host both matches," he says.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukraine national football team has not been able to play home matches on Ukrainian soil. The team has played ten matches in the Polish cities of Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan and Lodz.
The team has played two matches in Prague (Czech Republic), as well as one match each in Murcia (Spain), Leverkusen (Germany) and Trnava (Slovakia).
Some of the main audience figures (rounded numbers):
France 39,000 spectators – World Cup qualifiers, Wroclaw, Poland (5/9 2025).
England 39,000 spectators – European Championship qualifiers, Wroclaw, Poland (9/9 2023).
Georgia 21,700 spectators – Nations League, Poznan, Poland (11/10 2024).
Italy 26,000 spectators – European Championship qualifiers, Leverkusen, Germany (20/11 2023).
Iceland 20,000 spectators – World Cup qualifiers Warsaw, Poland (16/11 2025).
Semi-finals: Italy–Northern Ireland and Wales–Bosnia and Herzegovina. Final: Italy/Northern Ireland–Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Semi-finals: Ukraine–Sweden and Poland–Albania. Final: Ukraine/Sweden–Poland/Albania.
Semi-finals: Turkey–Romania and Slovakia–Kosovo. Final: Turkey/Romania–Slovakia/Kosovo.
Semi-finals: Denmark–North Macedonia and Czech Republic–Ireland. Final: Denmark/North Macedonia–Czech Republic/Ireland.
The semi-finals will be played on March 26. The finals on March 31.
The final winners are ready for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
