What's happened
FIFA's recent graphic during the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw, which omitted Crimea from Ukraine, has drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainian officials. They demand a public apology, citing violations of international law and support for Russian propaganda. FIFA acknowledged the issue and removed the segment from the broadcast.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Business Insider UK, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized FIFA for supporting Russian propaganda by omitting Crimea from the map. Heorhii Tykhyi stated, "By redrawing international borders... you not only acted against international law..." FIFA responded by acknowledging the issue and removing the graphic. AP News highlighted the broader context of FIFA's draw, noting that Russia was excluded from the event due to its ban from international competitions. This incident reflects ongoing geopolitical tensions and the role of sports in international relations.
How we got here
The controversy arose during a World Cup qualifying draw where FIFA displayed a map that excluded Crimea from Ukraine. This incident follows ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, particularly after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
More on these topics
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FIFA is a non-profit organization which describes itself as an international governing body of association football, fútsal, beach soccer, and efootball. It is the highest governing body of football.
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The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, the sport's global governin
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.