Ukraine's national team begins its qualification for the 2026 World Cup: match against France in Wroclaw.

According to inkorr.com: Tomorrow, September 5, the national football team of Ukraine will start its participation in the European qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The first match will take place against France at the 'Tarczyński Arena' in Wroclaw at 21:45 Kyiv time.

Group and tournament format

The Ukraine national team is in Group D along with France, Iceland, and Azerbaijan. The team that finishes first in the group will automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the second team will have the opportunity to fight for a spot in the playoffs, which will take place in March 2026.

Team composition and absences

Goalkeeper Lunin and defender Mykolenko will be unable to play for the Ukraine national team due to injuries, as well as Mudryk, who was suspended due to doping, and Tymchyk. The French team is missing Saliba due to injury.

France has lost to Ukraine only once in 12 matches — 0:2 in the first playoff match of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, but won the corresponding match 3:0.

Where to watch the match

The match Ukraine - France will be available to watch on MEGOGO in Ukraine, on TF1 in France, and on TVP Sport in Poland.

Predictions and line-ups

France is considered the favorite for the meeting, and the team line-ups have already been announced.

Historical perspective

This match opens the path to the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. For Ukraine, it is a chance to return to the world football stage, while for France, it is an opportunity to confirm its ambitions.

The Ukraine national team is preparing for an important match against France as part of the qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Both teams have their strengths and absences, so this match promises to be tense and interesting. This is just the beginning of the road for the teams to the major tournament starting in a few years in North America. Every game matters, and which team performs better will become clear very soon.