Ukraine names players for World Cup 2026 qualifiers vs France and Azerbaijan
Ukraine's national football team (photo: Getty Images)
Ukraine's national team has finalized its roster for the first matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Head coach Serhii Rebrov called up 25 players for the September games against France and Azerbaijan, according to the Ukrainian Association of Football.
Rebrov called up new players
Two players who competed at Euro 2025 with the U21 squad were included in the senior roster for the first time. They are 20-year-old Dynamo defender Taras Mykhavko and Shakhtar midfielder Oleh Ocheretko.
Four players who missed previous matches also returned to the squad. Everton defender Vitalii Mykolenko recovered from injury and rejoined the team.
Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmoliuk is also back in the lineup, while forwards Artem Dovbyk of Roma and Vladyslav Vanat of Dynamo got the chance to represent the national team again.
At the same time, compared to the national team's previous matches, six football players were left out.
They are defenders Maksym Talovierov, Vladyslav Dubinchak, and Oleksandr Martyniuk, as well as midfielders Mykola Mykhaylenko, Vladyslav Kabayev, and Yehor Nazaryna.
Shakhtar Donetsk has the largest representation in the updated squad with seven players.
Three more players could potentially debut for the senior team. Shakhtar midfielder Artem Bondarenko has been called up three times but has yet to make an appearance, while Taras Mykhavko and Oleh Ocheretko may also debut.
Full roster of Ukraine's national team for 2026 World Cup qualifiers:
Goalkeepers: Andrii Lunin (Real Madrid, Spain), Anatolii Trubin (Benfica, Portugal), Dmytro Riznyk (Shakhtar).
Defenders: Valerii Bondar, Mykola Matviienko, Yukhym Konoplia (all Shakhtar), Taras Mykhavko, Oleksandr Tymchyk (both Dynamo), Illia Zabarnyi (PSG, France), Oleksandr Svatok (Austin, USA), Vitalii Mykolenko (Everton, England).
Midfielders: Oleh Ocheretko, Heorhii Sudakov, Artem Bondarenko (all Shakhtar), Oleksii Hutsulyak, Oleksandr Nazarenko (both Polissya), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal, England), Yehor Yarmoliuk (Brentford, England), Ivan Kaliuzhnyi (Metalist 1925), Mykola Shaparenko (Dynamo), Viktor Tsyhankov (Girona, Spain), Oleksandr Zubkov (Trabzonspor, Turkey).
Forwards: Roman Yaremchuk (Olympiacos, Greece), Artem Dovbyk (Roma, Italy), Vladyslav Vanat (Dynamo).
Reserve list: Heorhii Bushchan (Al-Shabab, Saudi Arabia), Bohdan Mykhaylichenko (Polissya), Yevhen Cheberko (Columbus Crew, USA), Oleksandr Pikhalyonok, Volodymyr Brazhko, Nazar Voloshyn (all Dynamo).
Ukraine's match schedule
Ukraine will open its qualifying campaign on September 5 with a home match against France in Wrocław, Poland. Four days later, on September 9, the blue-and-yellow team will face Azerbaijan away in Baku.
In addition to France and Azerbaijan, Ukraine is also drawn with Iceland in Group D.
Full schedule of Ukraine's games in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers:
- September 5, 9:45 PM Ukraine vs. France (Wrocław, Poland)
- September 9, 7:00 PM Azerbaijan vs. Ukraine
- October 10, 9:45 PM Iceland vs. Ukraine
- October 13, 9:45 PM Ukraine vs. Azerbaijan (Kraków, Poland)
- November 13, 9:45 PM France vs. Ukraine
- November 16, 7:00 PM Ukraine vs. Iceland (Warsaw, Poland)
