Ukraine demands Fifa apology over Crimea map
Ukraine has criticized a map shown during the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw as an “unacceptable mistake” because it appeared to exclude Crimea from being part of the country.
The map shows countries that cannot compete with each other for geopolitical reasons, highlighting Ukraine but not including the internationally recognized Ukrainian peninsula.
Crimea has been under Russian occupation since 2014, with only a handful of countries recognizing the peninsula as Russian territory.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy said the country expected a “public apology.”
Tikhoi wrote in “X” that FIFA not only “violates international law” but also “supports Russian propaganda, war crimes and aggression against Ukraine.”
He added a “fixed” version of the map to his post, emphasizing that Crimea is part of Ukrainian territory.
Countries that cannot play each other include Ukraine and Belarus, Spain and Gibraltar, Kosovo against Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia.
The Ukrainian Football Association also sent letters to FIFA Secretary-General Matthias Grafström and UEFA Secretary-General Theodor Theodoridis regarding the matter.
“We call on you to express our deep concern about the infographic (pictured) published on December 13, 2024,” the letter reads.
“Taking into account the series of official decisions and resolutions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee since 2014… we stress that today’s version of the Ukrainian map image… is completely unacceptable and looks like a Inconsistent positions.”
BBC News has contacted FIFA for comment.
The 2026 World Cup will start in Mexico City on June 11 of that year and end in New Jersey on July 19.
The expanded tournament features 48 teams and will last a record 39 days.
Ukraine is in Group D with Iceland, Azerbaijan and the undecided winner of France’s Nations League quarter-final against Croatia.
