Thomas Tuchel's choices could make or break England's 2026 World Cup hopes
- FIFA held the European qualifying draw for the 2026 World Cup in Zurich, which included Ukraine.
- A map displayed during the draw controversially omitted Crimea from Ukrainian territory, sparking protest from Ukrainian officials.
- FIFA has acknowledged the mistake, promising to review its practices to avoid similar incidents in future events.
In a recent event in Zurich, FIFA conducted the draw for the European qualifying groups for the 2026 World Cup, revealing that Ukraine would contest in a group alongside France or Croatia, as well as Iceland and Azerbaijan. During the draw, a controversial map was displayed that failed to acknowledge Russia-occupied Crimea as part of Ukrainian territory, leading to public outcry. Ukraine's government officials swiftly responded, demanding an explanation and a public apology from FIFA. In light of the incident, FIFA's chief member association officer Elkhan Mammadov expressed regret, emphasizing that the map presentation was unintentional and had been sourced from an external provider. To prevent similar issues in the future, FIFA has begun reviewing its protocols for displaying sensitive geopolitical information in its events. The situation highlights the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, especially given that Russia has been banned from FIFA competitions since February 2022 due to its military actions against Ukraine. In the context of this ongoing conflict, the misrepresentation in the draw is not just seen as a minor oversight but as a significant diplomatic error that may exacerbate existing tensions.