(Zurich) Ukraine wants to postpone its play-off match against Scotland for the Soccer World Cup, FIFA announced on Thursday, given the suspension of the Ukrainian championship caused by the Russian invasion.
Posted yesterday at 11:11 p.m.
“FIFA can confirm that it has received a request from the Ukrainian Soccer Association today to postpone their matches scheduled for the month of March,” the chief soccer organization said.
Ukraine take on Scotland in Glasgow on March 24. The winner of the duel will face either Wales or Austria five days later to earn a bye to the 2022 Soccer World Cup, played in Qatar.
A large part of the Ukrainian national team squad is made up of players playing in the Ukrainian league for clubs like Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk. The physical form of the players has been hit by the stoppage in the championship which occurred last week. The fact that several players who are not of Ukrainian nationality left the country to find refuge also contributed to the suspension.
FIFA said it was holding talks with leaders of the Scottish and European Soccer Federation (UEFA) in the hope of “finding an appropriate solution. FIFA expresses its utmost solidarity with all those affected by what is happening in Ukraine.”
One of the options would be to postpone the matches of this tournament to four teams during the next international break in June. The World Cup qualification process has already suffered multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The draw for the tournament will be made on 1er April in Doha, but at least two of the 32 teams that will participate in the great mass of soccer will be unknown.
The final two places giving access to the World Cup will be decided in June, when four teams – from Asia, North or Central America, South America and Oceania will compete for the last available tickets.
Ukraine has participated in just one World Cup since becoming an independent soccer nation 30 years ago. The country had seen its journey come to an end in the quarter-finals. Ukraine also reached the quarter-finals of the European Championship last year.
Russia were also due to take part in World Cup play-offs, but were recently ruled out by FIFA. However, she is contesting the decision.