External provider supposedly to blame
FIFA upsets Ukraine with world map – and apologizes
Updated on December 16, 2024 – 10:58 p.mReading time: 1 min.
In the World Cup qualifying draw, FIFA showed Crimea as part of Russia. This angered Ukraine.
FIFA has responded to Ukraine’s complaint about an incorrect map of Europe in the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw. In a letter to the Ukrainian Football Association, Elkhan Mammadov, Fifa’s director of member associations, expressed his regret. He said: “Although the incident was accidental, we deeply regret any concern it may have caused.” The Ukrainian association published the letter on its website.
In the run-up to the draw last Friday, a map was shown in a video on which the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea was not shown as part of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Football Association then officially filed a complaint with FIFA and UEFA. In addition, Heorhiy Tychyj, spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, called for a public apology from FIFA.
In its response, FIFA emphasized that the incorrect graphics came from an external provider. After the error was noticed, the image was immediately removed. An internal audit should ensure that such incidents no longer happen in the future.
Russia has occupied the Crimean peninsula since its annexation by Russia in 2014, which violated international law, while Ukraine has repeatedly emphasized that it wants to retake Crimea. The conflict is in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which has been ongoing since 2022.