What Awaits the Ukraine National Football Team: Match Calendar in 2025.

The Ukraine national team will play eight matches in the playoff of the Nations League in 2025. In particular, the team will play for the first Time in history in Canada at the Canadian Shield tournament. The coaching staff will consider these matches as preparation for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

2026 World Cup Qualifiers

UEFA has 16 berths for the World Cup. The qualifiers in the European zone will take place from March 2025 to March 2026 and will consist of two rounds.

The first qualifying round includes 12 groups of five or four teams that will play between March and November 2025. Group winners will receive direct spots in the World Cup. The teams that finish in second place and the best group winners from the Nations League that finish below second place will participate in playoff mini-tournaments.

The second qualifying round includes playoff mini-tournaments that will take place in March 2026. 16 participants will be divided into four playoff paths, and four winners will receive spots in the World Cup.

Final Tournament of the 2026 World Cup

48 teams will compete in the final part of the 2026 World Cup. There will be 12 groups of four teams, with the top two and the eight best third-placed teams advancing to the Round of 16. Matches will take place in 16 cities, including Canada, Mexico, and the USA. The opening match will be held on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, and the final will be on July 19 in New York.

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