FIFA apologizes to Ukraine soccer body for Crimea map error at 2026 World Cup draw

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ZURICH (AP) — FIFA apologized to the Ukrainian soccer federation for displaying a map during its World Cup qualifying draw that excluded Russia-occupied Crimea from the country’s territory.

“We fully understand the delicate sensitivity of this matter and while the incident was unintentional, we sincerely regret any concern it may have cause,” FIFA’s chief member association officer, Elkhan Mammadov, wrote in a letter published Sunday by the Ukrainian soccer body.

Ukraine was one of 54 national teams included in the draw Friday in Zurich for European qualifying groups for the 2026 World Cup. Russia, which has been banned from FIFA competitions because of the military invasion of Ukraine, has illegally occupied Crimea since 2014. The peninsula was not colored as part of Ukrainian territory in a graphic broadcast during the draw event at FIFA headquarters.

“Are you OK, (at)FIFAcom?” Ukraine government spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi wrote Saturday in a post on social media platform X, adding: “We fixed the map for you and expect a public apology.”

Mammadov replied that the map was provided by an outside supplier and FIFA was reviewing how to “ensure such oversights do not recur in future.”

Ukraine was drawn into a qualifying group with either France or Croatia, plus Iceland and Azerbaijan. The group winner will advance directly to the World Cup being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the runner-up will enter a playoff in March 2026.

FIFA and European soccer body UEFA banned Russian teams from international competitions February 2022, citing expected chaos because some European federations refuse to play games against Russia.

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