Amid Ongoing War, Ukraine Qualifies For 2026 FIFA World Cup Playoffs

As the Ukrainian senior men’s national team prepared for their pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Iceland this weekend, Ukraine’s players and staff learned that the Russians had launched a missile strike on Kyiv. At least six Ukrainian citizens were killed during the attack, and over 35 individuals were injured. Four of Ukraine’s national team players, as well as staff members from the Ukrainian Association of Football, work and reside in the Ukrainian capital with their families and friends.

For nearly four years, the lifestyles of Ukrainian citizens have significantly changed due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. To date, one-fourth of Ukraine’s total population remains displaced, and thousands of Ukrainian citizens have been killed during the war. Russian attacks have destroyed numerous villages, towns, and cities, and it will cost hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild the country.

Ukrainian soccer (also known as football), like all other aspects of Ukrainian life and society, has also been impacted by the war. For example, throughout Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, at least 20 Ukrainian soccer teams have been forced to declare bankruptcy. Clubs that have been fortunate to survive during the war have relocated to safer parts of Ukraine.

As for the individuals, some soccer players, coaches, and referees, as well as athletes from other sports, have abandoned their sporting careers to enlist in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and defend their country. For the athletes who have remained in their professions, their participation in sports is viewed as a way to portray Ukraine in a positive light amid the ongoing war.

Sports, such as soccer, as well as other cultural and entertainment aspects of society, have provided Ukrainians with a brief opportunity to shift their focus away from the war. During this escape, the Ukrainian athletes hope to perform well, giving their compatriots a reason to celebrate in an otherwise difficult period in Ukrainian history. This is seen as an added pressure on these sports stars, but they know that they are representing their country, their families, their friends, and their fans. As a result, these unofficial ambassadors do not want to disappoint this base.

Ukraine’s current qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is one example where Ukrainian athletes are trying to boost the morale of their country. From September to November, the Ukrainian national team has played games against France, Iceland, and Azerbaijan, as the Ukrainians hope to qualify for the world’s most prestigious soccer competition. During this period, Ukraine won two of its five matches against these opponents, and it drew one game.

Results elsewhere in their qualification group meant that the Ukrainians would need to win their final match to make it to the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs. To secure their place, the Ukrainians would need to win against Iceland on November 16.

“[Ukraine’s game against Iceland] was incredibly emotional for the players, the staff, and everyone [back home in Ukraine],” Ukrainian soccer enthusiast Michael Jaworskyj told me in an interview. “Everyone was on a high.”

To add to the pressure, some of these players were distracted by the recent Russian attacks on Kyiv. Due to the events leading up to the game against Iceland, the Ukrainian players knew they needed to win the game not only to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs but also to boost the morale of their compatriots.

“The [Russian] attacks on Ukraine are ramping up,” Jaworskyj told me in an interview. “But sport [helps] tie in with other things happening in Ukraine. [For example], the soldiers were watching on the front line [and they wanted] to have something to smile about.”

Understanding the pressures ahead of this game, Ukraine fought hard against a difficult Iceland team. Ultimately, Ukraine’s drive would see it defeat its opponent, thus earning a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs.

“A lot of Ukrainians were watching back home,” Ukrainian soccer journalist Andrew Todos told me in an interview. “Everyone is really happy [with the performance].”

The Ukrainians will be pleased that they kept their aspirations alive for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They will also celebrate their victory against Iceland as they look for inspiration ahead of the playoffs in March.

“Our team has shown the true Ukrainian will to win – exactly what our country needs today,” Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said on his personal X account. “Now, on to the [playoffs] in March. We believe in you.”

The Ukrainian victory over Iceland means that the Ukrainians will now play at least one game in March 2026, a semifinal playoff. Should the Ukrainians win their semifinal, and the subsequent final, then they will secure their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. The Ukrainians will understand that there is a lot of work to be done to qualify for next summer’s soccer tournament.

“Ukraine needs to win the playoffs and make it to the World Cup to be able to press the story of what is happening in Ukraine to a worldwide audience. The World Cup has a pull of over one billion people, so it will be important for [Ukraine to qualify],” Todos told me in an interview.

Qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup would help Ukraine keep a global focus on Russia’s full-scale invasion. It would remind the international community of the ongoing war, and Ukraine’s presence at the world’s most prominent soccer competition may encourage governments, institutions, and individuals to provide additional assistance to the Ukrainians. In other words, being in the international spotlight will allow Ukraine to continue educating and informing the world about Russia’s ongoing invasion. Otherwise, if Ukraine fails to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it may be a case of out of sight, out of mind.

Some may argue that regardless of whether Ukraine qualifies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ukrainian soccer will not help end the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is also possible that the Ukrainians will not play in next summer’s tournament following the results of the qualification playoffs in March 2026.

But the successes of Ukraine’s senior men’s national team should not be overlooked. These results have given the country a reason for optimism and cheer, which has had a positive impact on Ukrainian morale and spirits.

Fans of soccer know the outcomes of Ukraine’s games will not impact the state of Russia’s ongoing invasion. Nonetheless, the change of mindset for some Ukrainians made by the Ukrainian senior men’s national team amid an ongoing war has made all the difference.