Ukraine's opponents in the World Cup qualification have been revealed.

The draw for the group stage of the 2026 World Cup qualification in the UEFA zone took place today, December 13, in Zurich. The Ukrainian national team has been placed in group D, where its opponents are France - Croatia (the winner of the League of Nations quarterfinal), Iceland, and Azerbaijan.

2026 World Cup. Qualification Cycle

In the UEFA zone, 16 tickets are anticipated. The qualification will take place from March 2025 to March 2026 and will consist of two rounds.

Round 1 of qualification: 12 groups, each with five or four teams, will compete for direct tickets to the final stage from March to November 2025.

12 group winners will directly advance to the final stage. Teams finishing second, along with the four best group winners of the Nations League (who finish below second place), will participate in playoff mini-tournaments.

Round 2 of qualification: playoff mini-tournaments in March 2026 will consist of semifinals and finals. Four winners will receive tickets to the World Cup.

In other confederations, the number of tickets is distributed as follows:

• AFC (Asia): 8 tickets + 1 place in the intercontinental playoff
• CAF (Africa): 9 tickets + 1 place in the intercontinental playoff
• CONCACAF (North and Central America): 3 tournament organizers + 3 tickets + 2 places in the intercontinental playoff
• CONMEBOL (South America): 6 tickets + 1 place in the intercontinental playoff
• OFC (Oceania): 1 ticket + 1 place in the intercontinental playoff
• Intercontinental playoff: 2 tickets

2026 World Cup. Final Tournament

The 2026 World Cup will be the first in which 48 teams will compete. The group stage will consist of 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16.

The matches of the 2026 World Cup will take place in 16 cities:in Canada - Toronto and Vancouver, in Mexico - Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey, in the USA - Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle.

The opening match will take place on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, while the final match will be held on July 19 in New York.

Russia has been excluded from the draw for the World Cup qualification.