Ukraine’s FA has sent an angry letter to FIFA and UEFA complaining of an “unacceptable error” during the World Cup qualifying draw.
Ukraine have found out who they will be up against to try and book their place at the 2026 tournament in North America.
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Ukraine hits out at Fifa and Uefa after ‘unacceptable mistake’ Credit: Reuters
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World Cup Qualifiers draw card excludes Crimea from UkraineCredit: X @KarpatyLvivFC
However, the country was left apoplectic after a graphic map showing countries unable to cross borders to face each other – such as Ukraine and Belarus, Spain and Gibraltar and Kosovo versus Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia.
On it, however, the shaded Ukrainian region excludes the territory of Crimea.
The Black Sea peninsula – officially the Autonomous Republic of Crimea – is classified as an administrative division of Ukraine after Russia previously annexed it in 2014.
Russia occupied the territory and has several military air bases stationed there during the war between the two nations, which has now killed or injured millions of people since Vladimir Putin ordered an illegal invasion in February 2022.
Ukraine, however, continues to view the region as part of their country so they were understandably outraged after Friday’s draw.
And the Ukrainian Football Association wrote to Fifa General Secretary Matthias Grafstrom and Uefa General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis to express their anger.
The furious letter said: “We are writing to express our deep concern regarding the infographic map of Europe shown during the TV broadcast of the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers on 13 December 2024.
“The map, which marked countries that cannot cross borders, highlighted the territory of Ukraine without the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
“Taking into account several official decisions and resolutions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee since 2014, which related to the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the protection of football stakeholders in our country against the aggressive policy of the Russian terrorist state, including in relation to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, we emphasize that the version of the map presented by Fifa during the global broadcast to an audience of several million is unacceptable.
“It appears to be an inconsistent position from FIFA and UEFA on this crucial issue, especially in light of the ongoing destructive invasion launched by Russia against Ukraine in the 21st century, in the heart of Europe.”
Timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
VLADIMIR Putin staged a murderous invasion of his neighboring country in 2022, after years of heated Russian-Ukrainian tensions.
February 24, 2022: Russia launches a full-scale invasion of Ukraine with an invasion of the eastern territory of Donbass. Explosions were also recorded in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa
February 25, 2022: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team released a video after they were rumored to have fled the country.
March 16, 2022: Russia flashed the Drama Theater in Mariupol where about 1,300 civilians had taken refuge.
September 1, 2022: Russian forces flee the eastern Kharkiv region after a strong Ukrainian counter-offensive.
September 21, 2022: Putin announced a controversial partial mobilization to recruit soldiers, the country’s first since World War II.
November 12, 2022: The city of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, is liberated after eight months of occupation.
December 21, 2022: Zelensky travels to Washington DC to meet with President Joe Biden and address Congress.
January 25, 2023: Germany approves sending tanks to Ukraine
February 20, 2023: US President Joe Biden makes a surprise visit to Kiev for the first time since the invasion began.
June 23, 2023: Russian mercenaries organize an attempted coup with the Wagner paramilitary organization.
June 24, 2023: Wagner’s short-lived group marches on Moscow and ends the coup attempt.
August 27, 2023: Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is confirmed dead in a plane crash.
February 8, 2024: Zelenskiy dismisses his army chief, General Valery Zaluzhny.
April 20, 2024: The US House of Representatives approved a major foreign aid package for Ukraine.
August 6, 2024: Ukrainian forces launch a surprise incursion into Russia’s western Kursk region.
November 19, 2024: Ukraine fires several US-supplied long-range missiles at Russia for the first time.
November 21, 2024: Putin’s forces fire new ballistic missiles into Ukraine for the first time.
Fifa said in a statement: “FIFA is aware of an issue affecting one of the graphics displayed during the draw and has been addressing the situation with the Confederation. The segment has been removed.”
Ukraine was drawn in Group D along with Iceland, Azerbaijan and the winners of the Nations League quarter-final tie between France and Croatia.
Meanwhile, Thomas Tuchel’s England have drawn Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra in Group K with five teams.
The World Cup qualification draw in full
Group A: Winner of GER/ITA, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo
Group C: Loser POR/DEN, Greece, Scotland, Belarus
Group D: Winner of FRA/CRO, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E: Winner of SPA/NED, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F: Winner POR/DEN, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia
Group G: Loser SPA/NED, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino
Group I: Loser GER/ITA, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L: Loser FRA/CRO, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education