Scotland are hoping to reach their first finals since 1998, while Ukraine have appeared in the finals of the FIFA World Cup on one occasion in 2006
By Kehinde Okeowo
World football governing body, FIFA has acceded to the request made by Ukraine to postpone their World Cup qualifier against Scotland.
The two sides were scheduled to clash at Hampden Park on March 24, but the Ukrainian FA applied for a postponement last week following the Russian invasion of their country.
FIFA while confirming Ukraine’s request for postponement of the match said, “Fifa can confirm it has received a request from the Ukrainian Association of Football today to postpone their matches scheduled for March.
“Fifa remains in regular contact with Uefa and the Scottish Football Association to find an appropriate solution.
“Fifa expresses its deepest solidarity to everybody affected by what is happening in Ukraine. A further update will be provided in due course.”
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Scottish FA president Rod Petrie also expressed solidarity with Ukraine last week and said, ” (We) have offered to support our Ukrainian colleagues’ preparations as best we can in these unimaginably difficult circumstances.”
According to The Athletic, the qualifier is likely to be rearranged for the June international window, along with the first round of the Nations League.
The winner of the Ukraine and Scotland rearranged match will face the victors of the other play-off semi-final — Wales vs Austria — to decide who will progress to the World Cup in Qatar later in the year.
The encounter between Wales and Austria will still be played on March 24, but the postponement of the Ukraine game means the play-off final will also be delayed.
Russia were suspended from international competition by FIFA and UEFA as a consequence of the invasion.
A joint statement issued by FIFA and UEFA recently read:
” Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which envisaged the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice,”
Russia were scheduled to play Poland in Moscow on March 24. Poland have not yet received clarity on whether they will receive a bye to the play-off final.
The World Cup will commence on November 21 and will end on December 18, Scotland are hoping to reach their first finals since 1998.