Tickets for the final of the Vbet Cup of Ukraine 2025/2026 between Chernihiv and Dynamo are now on sale
CS-2026 Qualifiers. The Ukraine national team has begun preparing for matches against France and Azerbaijan.
The Ukrainian national team has begun preparation for two qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup — against France (September 5, Wroclaw) and Azerbaijan (September 9, Baku).
Photo: Dan Balashov
The Ukrainian national team has begun preparations for two upcoming qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup — against France (September 5, Wroclaw) and Azerbaijan (September 9, Baku).
Players from the Ukrainian championship traveled to the camp of Serhiy Rebrov in Opalenica via Warsaw by train, and then by bus. Foreign-based players joined their teammates directly in Poland.
Photo: Dan Balashov
The team will train at this location until September 4, when they will move to Wroclaw for pre-match activities.
After the match against France, the national team will prepare in Poland, and on September 7, a flight is planned to the capital of Azerbaijan.
Squad Roster
Goalkeepers: Andriy Lunin («Real» Madrid, Spain), Anatoliy Trubin («Benfica» Lisbon, Portugal), Dmytro Ryndzak («Shaktar» Donetsk).
Defenders: Ilya Zabarnyi («Paris Saint-Germain» Paris, France), Oleksandr Svatok («Austin», USA), Valeri Bondar, Mykhailo Matviyenko, Yurym Konoplyan (all — «Shaktar» Donetsk), Taras Mikhaylov («Dynamo» Kyiv), Bogdan Mikhailichenko («Polissya» Zhytomyr), Vitaliy Mykolenko («Everton» Liverpool, England).
Midfielders: Oleksandr Zinchenko («Arsenal» London, England), Yegor Yarmoluk («Brentford», England), Ivan Kaluzhnyy («Metalist 1925» Kharkiv), Mykhailo Shaparenko, Nazar Volosin (both — «Dynamo» Kyiv), Oleksiy Ocheretynko, Artem Bondarenko (both — «Shaktar» Donetsk), Oleksii Hutsulyak, Oleksandr Nazarenko (both — «Polissya» Zhytomyr), Viktor Tsygankov («Girona», Spain), Georgy Sudakov («Benfica» Lisbon, Portugal), Oleksandr Zubkov («Trabzonspor» Trabzon, Turkey).
Forwards: Roman Yaremchuk («Olympiacos» Piraeus, Greece), Artem Dovbyk («Roma» Rome, Italy), Vladyslav Vanat («Girona», Spain).
Reserve List
Georgiy Bushchan («Al-Shabab», Saudi Arabia), Yevhen Cheberko («Columbus Crew», USA), Oleksandr Pichalnyk, Volodymyr Brahyko (both — «Dynamo» Kyiv).
Photo: Dan Balashov
World Cup 2026. UEFA Zone Qualification. First Round
Group A: Germany, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg.
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.
Group C: Denmark, Greece, Scotland, Belarus.
Group D: France, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan.
Group E: Spain, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria.
Group F: Portugal, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia.
Group G: Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino.
Group I: Italy, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra.
Group L: Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar.
Photo: Dan Balashov
Group D Match Schedule
Round 1. September 5, 2025
Ukraine — France 9:45 PM, Wroclaw
Iceland — Azerbaijan 9:45 PM, Reykjavik
Round 2. September 9, 2025
Azerbaijan — Ukraine 1:00 PM, Baku
France — Iceland 9:45 PM, Paris
Round 3. October 10, 2025
Iceland — Ukraine 9:45 PM, Reykjavik
France — Azerbaijan 9:45 PM, Paris
Round 4. October 13, 2025
Ukraine — Azerbaijan 9:45 PM
Iceland — France 9:45 PM, Reykjavik
Round 5. November 13, 2025
Azerbaijan — Iceland 2:00 PM, Baku
France — Ukraine 9:45 PM, Paris
Round 6. November 16, 2025
Ukraine — Iceland 2:00 PM
Azerbaijan — France 2:00 PM, Baku
All match times are in Kyiv time.
Photo: Dan Balashov
UEFA (Europe): 16 spots.
The European qualification will take place from March 2025 to March 2026 and consists of two rounds. Teams will compete for 16 spots at the World Cup.
Round 1: Twelve groups with five or four teams each will play between March and November 2025 in a traditional group stage system. The twelve group winners will receive direct tickets to the final stage.
The twelve second-placed teams, along with the top four third-place finishers from UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 who finished below second place in the European qualification group stage, will participate in knockout mini-tournaments.
Round 2: Knockout mini-tournaments in March 2026 will consist of one-legged semi-finals and finals. The sixteen participants will be divided into four playoff paths. The four winners will receive tickets to the World Cup.
AFC (Asia): 8 spots + 1 place in intercontinental playoffs.
CAF (Africa): 9 spots + 1 place in intercontinental playoffs.
CONCACAF (North and Central America): 3 tournament organizers + 3 spots + 2 places in intercontinental playoffs.
CONMEBOL (South America): 6 spots + 1 place in intercontinental playoffs.
OFC (Oceania): 1 spot + 1 place in intercontinental playoffs.
Intercontinental Playoffs: 2 spots.
World Cup 2026. Final Tournament
The World Cup 2026 will be the first in history to feature 48 national teams in its final stage. There will be twelve groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group and eight third-place teams will advance to the round of 16.
Matches for the 23rd World Cup will take place in sixteen cities. In Canada — Toronto and Vancouver, Mexico — Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey, USA — Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The opening match of the World Cup will take place on June 11, 2026 in Mexico City, while the final will be held in New York on July 19.
