Ukraine Defeat Iceland 2–0 and Reach 2026 World Cup Playoffs
Ukraine dramatically clinched a crucial 2–0 victory over Iceland on Sunday, securing a place in the playoffs of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The Gaze reports.
Serhiy Rebrov’s team entered the final Group D match knowing that only a win would keep their World Cup hopes alive. Both Ukraine and Iceland had seven points before kickoff, but the Icelandic side held a better goal difference — meaning Ukraine needed a direct victory to overtake them in the standings.
The match, nominally a home fixture for Ukraine, was played at Warsaw’s Legia Stadium due to the ongoing war and Russia’s invasion. The game began at 19:00 Kyiv time, with thousands of Ukrainian fans filling the stands in Poland.
Before the game the stance was clear: both teams needed victories to secure the only second spot from the group to have a chance to reach World Cup 2026.
France had already secured first place in Group D with 13 points, making their final match against Azerbaijan almost a formality.
The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
It will be the first tournament in history to feature 48 national teams, expanding from the 32-team format used since 1998.