Ukraine surprises with the stadium, it is revealed where the play-off matches will be played

2025-12-11 17:30:00, Sport CNA

Ukraine surprises with the stadium, it is revealed where the play-off matches

The Football Federation of Ukraine has made a decision that has surprised everyone. For the play-off phase of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the Ukrainians have chosen to play their matches in Spain, specifically in Valencia, the facility where the Levante team plays its championship matches.

This change is unusual, as since the beginning of the conflict with Russia, Ukraine has played most of its matches in Poland, which has been the national team's main host base.

The decision was made by the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian Football Federation, which has officially approved the Spanish stadium as the main venue for the two potential play-off matches.

The capacity of 26,354 seats, the infrastructure conditions and the availability of the stadium have been considered as the elements that have made it the most suitable solution. The Federation administration has now been tasked with finalizing the agreement with the club and informing UEFA of the decision made.

According to the calendar set by UEFA, Ukraine will play the semi-final play-off match against Sweden on March 26.

If they manage to get through this round, the team led by Rebrov will play the final on March 31, again at the same stadium in Valencia. In that challenge, Ukraine will have to face the winner of the Poland-Albania pair, a meeting that would be historic for the Albanian national team if they manage to qualify.

The Federation has foreseen that even in the event of a loss by one of the teams in the first matches, the second match will be held in Valencia as a mandatory friendly, in accordance with the new format established by UEFA for this phase of the competition.

This decision by Ukraine is directly related to the inability to play official matches on its territory due to Russian attacks and the unfavorable security situation.

In this context, the move to Spain is considered a sustainable and guaranteed solution for organizing matches of high importance. For Albania, if it manages to be included in the final on March 31, Valencia could be the place where one of the most important challenges in the history of the national team is played.