UAF President Andrey Shevchenko He talked about the match against the Swedish national team in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

“When we were drawn against Sweden we probably faced our toughest opponent. I have great respect for Swedish football, you have always had good national teams and great players.”

“It’s always difficult to face Scandinavian teams, even though you don’t qualify for the World Cup, because you have so much quality, character and identity. This is similar to us to some extent. I don’t think there are favourites. In the end it all depends on the details, the injury situation and the preparations,” said Shevchenko.

In case of victory, Ukraine will play with the winner of the Poland-Albania doubles for a ticket to the World Cup. Ukraine will play the final match at home on March 31, again conditionally.

In addition to the 12 teams that finished second in their groups, the 4 winners of the Nations League quartet will also participate in the play-offs. All 16 participants are divided into 4 paths. Each route will include a semi-final and a final. The semi-finals will be held on March 26, and the finals will be held on March 31, 2026.

UAF President Andrey Shevchenko He pointed out the significant financial costs of organizing the Ukrainian national team’s “home” matches outside the country.

“Hosting such meetings costs us an enormous amount of money and we are deprived of the opportunity to assemble a full stadium. In fact, the cost of a so-called home match at a neutral venue costs around five times more than a regular match.”

Our sponsors are located in a country where the struggle continues, so their financial resources are seriously limited.

I cannot approach the government with requests for additional funding.

We are forced to work tightly within the available budget and rely on the support of private donors, especially when it comes to social initiatives,” the UAF president told Dagens Nyheter.

During the current year, the Ukrainian national team played its official home matches in stadiums in Spain and Poland.

Head coach of the Portuguese national team Roberto Martinez He explained why Cristiano Ronaldo continues to play an important role in the national team.

– There is always a lot of talk around Cristiano Ronaldo. Why does he remain the undisputed starter for the Portuguese national team, even though he will soon be 41?

“It’s all about his attitude towards the profession.” We constantly evaluate three key factors: talent level, accumulated experience and the contribution a player can make to the national team.

Making the highest demands on himself for the benefit of the team allows the captain to maintain his place in the squad. His desire to be the best is passed on to his partners. “The 25 goals he scored in 30 matches as a striker confirms that his play brings tangible benefits to the national team,” he said.