Ukraine vs France World Cup qualifier set for stadium where they never lose
Ukraine to play 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Poland (Photo: Getty Images)
Ukraine's national football team has confirmed the location of its first home match in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, according to the Ukrainian Association of Football.
Where and when Ukraine will play its first World Cup qualifier
Under the guidance of Serhiy Rebrov, the Ukrainian team will begin the qualification campaign with a nominal home match against France.
The "blue and yellows" will host the World Cup runners-up at Tarczyński Arena in Wrocław, Poland.
This stadium, which seats over 45,000 spectators, has proven lucky for Ukraine. The team has played there three times without suffering a defeat, always supported by tens of thousands of Ukrainian fans.
Ukraine's matches in Wrocław so far:
- September 9, 2023: Ukraine 1-1 England (Euro 2024 qualifier, goal by Zinchenko)
- March 26, 2024: Ukraine 2-1 Iceland (Euro 2024 play-off final, goals by Tsyhankov and Mudryk)
- October 14, 2024: Ukraine 1-1 Czech Republic (Nations League, goal by Dovbyk)
Thus, in this first and toughest match of the qualifying campaign, Rebrov's squad will count not only on their strength but also on the incredible fan support and "magic" of the arena.
Ticket sale details for Ukraine vs. France will be announced soon.
Ukraine's schedule for 2026 World Cup qualification
Ukraine was drawn into Group D alongside France, Iceland, and Azerbaijan. All matches will be played in fall 2025:
- September 5: Ukraine vs. France
- September 9: Azerbaijan vs. Ukraine
- October 10: Iceland vs. Ukraine
- October 13: Ukraine vs. Azerbaijan
- November 13: France vs. Ukraine
- November 16: Ukraine vs. Iceland
How to qualify for the 2026 World Cup
Only the winner of the group will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The second-place team will have a chance to compete for a spot through the play-offs in March 2026.
In total, 16 teams from Europe will qualify for the World Cup.
2026 World Cup: Format, host cities, and dates
The 2026 World Cup will be historic because it will be the first time the planet's premier football tournament features 48 national teams. They will be divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 32.
The 23rd edition of the World Cup will be hosted in 16 cities across three countries. In Canada, matches will take place in Toronto and Vancouver; in Mexico in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey; and in the United States in major cities such as Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The opening match of the tournament will be on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, and the final will be on July 19 in New York.
Earlier, we reported Ukraine's position in the FIFA rankings ahead of the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
