Ukraine drew 14th ranked Croatia in the European section of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, placing in Group I along with Iceland (23rd), and lower seeds Turkey and Finland.
Ranked 27th, according to world soccer governing body FIFA, coach Mykhailo Fomenko’s side avoided European powerhouses and past World Cup champions Germany, Italy, France and England.
Ukraine last qualified for the 2006 World Cup that Germany hosted, making it to the quarterfinals, the farthest a post-Soviet team has advanced in the tournament.
Each of the nine group winners in the European section qualify for the tournament, while eight of the second best teams will hold playoffs to determine the other four qualifying teams. Thus, 13 out of 52 European contenders plus host country Russia would qualify.
As the strongest football nation of the five in Group I, Croatia came in third in the 1998 World Cup and also qualified for the 2002, 2006 and 2014 tournaments. Turkey had only qualified for the World Cup in 2002, winning the bronze medal. The Icelandic and Finnish teams have yet to qualify for a World Cup tournament.
Politics could however also affect the pattern of participation in the 2018 World Cup. Ukraine has threatened to boycott the tournament if Russia retains hosting rights over the country’s military invasion of eastern Ukraine and takeover of Crimea. In March, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had called on Ukraine’s Western allies to join the boycott. American and British politicians have also called for the tournament to be moved amid Russia’s belligerent violations of Ukraine’s borders, citing the precedent of Yugoslavia being banned from the 1994 World Cup.
Taking place in splendor at a televised show in the richly decorated Konstantin Palace just outside St. Petersburg in Russia, the qualification draw was moreover overshadowed by a corruption scandal at FIFA. U.S. and Swiss authorities are investigating whether FIFA officials had accepted payment in return for casting their vote for Russia as the 2018 host nation.
To attend the World Cup qualification draw party, FIFA president Sepp Blatter had left his residence in Switzerland for the first time since seven football officials, reported to be his close associates, in May were arrested in Zürich on corruption charges at the request of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, which also requested their extradition.
This sparked speculation that he avoided travel because of the risk of arrest in countries cooperating with the U.S. However there was little chance of Blatter being arrested in Russia, where Putin was a political supporter of Blatter, Sky News reported.
Speaking after the Zürich FBI raids, Putin described the action as a “blatant attempt” by America to interfere in “other jurisdictions.” Russia has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintains it won tournament hosting rights based on merit. Accusing the U.S. of staging a witch-hunt against Blatter for his support for Russia’s hosting rights, Putin said that “we know pressure was exerted on him with the aim of banning the 2018 World Cup in Russia.”
Back in June Blatter rejected reports of his resignation from president of FIFA, a post the 79-year-old held since 1998. Speaking at the opening of the qualification draw ceremony on July 25, Blatter, serving as FIFA president since 1998, seemed unaffected by the storm raging around his office. Addressing Putin standing next to him on stage, he said, “you make us feel so comfortable and welcome” and later, “the World Cup is the greatest event in the world.”
The qualification draw ceremony served as a confirmation that Russia is going forward with the soccer tournament. Nobilities of the football world had dressed up for the event, delivering small speeches and jokes on the stage. They included famous players Samuel Eto’o from Cameroon, Russia’s Rinat Dasayev and the former Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro. Folklore ensembles performed pop music inspired dances shows and jazz bands relaxed the atmosphere in between draws.
With no less than 13 cities throughout Russia named as World Cup host cities, construction of hotels and stadiums for the 2018 tournament is in full swing.
Kyiv Post staff writer Johannes Wamberg Andersen can be reached at johannes.wa@gmail.com
