(Paris) The play-off semi-final of the World Cup-2022 Scotland-Ukraine, postponed to March due to the Russian offensive, has been rescheduled to 1er June and its winner will face Wales on June 5 for a place in Qatar, FIFA announced on Thursday.
Posted at 11:17 a.m.
The Scotland-Ukraine tie was due to take place at Hampden Park on March 24, but was postponed with the support of the Scottish Football Association, as most Ukraine internationals were deeply affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February .
“FIFA thanks all the parties concerned for their cooperation and for the tremendous spirit of solidarity they have shown in order to reach a unanimous decision”, commented the international federation in a press release, specifying that the calendar of the League of nations scheduled for these dates would be modified accordingly.
The winner of this play-off semi-final will go four days later to challenge Wales at home, who defeated Austria on March 24 in the other semi-final (2-1).
Two other tickets to be awarded
And the country emerging victorious from these confrontations will join the 12 other European nations already qualified for the World Cup. He will be placed in Group B with England, the United States and Iran. His start is scheduled for November 21 at 10 p.m. local time against the United States team at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al-Rayyan.
Tickets bought by spectators for Scotland-Ukraine on March 24 will remain valid for the match moved to June, the Scottish federation announced last month, which had supported the idea of a postponement of the match “given the situation in Ukraine”.
Russia, for its part, was excluded by FIFA from the qualifying play-offs for the World Cup-2022.
Of the 32 nations participating in the World Cup, two more tickets remain to be awarded in June through disputed intercontinental play-offs in Qatar.
On the one hand, the fourth and last team in group D, that of the world champion French team, will be determined in mid-June after a confrontation between Peru and the winner of the Asian play-off between the United Arab Emirates and Australia (June 7). And, on the other hand, New Zealand and Costa Rica will compete to join Pool E, considered the “group of death” of this World Cup-2022, which includes Spain and Germany.
With the international window at the start of June being in principle reserved for the Nations League for European teams, UEFA has indicated that certain matches involving Scotland, Ukraine and Wales will be rescheduled between June and September.