Nations League 2026/27
The draw for the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League has placed Ukraine in League B, Group 2, where they will face Hungary, Georgia, and Northern Ireland. The draw ceremony was held in Brussels, Belgium. The tournament will kick off in September and will be played in a home-and-away round-robin format. The group winner will earn promotion to League A, while the runner-up will enter a promotion playoff. The third-placed team will compete in a relegation playoff, and the bottom team will be relegated to League C.
Historical Context and Past Results
Ukraine's best Nations League performance came in the 2020/21 edition, where they competed in the top-tier League A. They finished fourth in a group that included Spain, Germany, and Switzerland. A notable event from that campaign was Ukraine being forced to forfeit a match against Switzerland as a technical defeat due to positive COVID-19 tests within the squad.
Ukraine's historical record against their upcoming opponents is varied:
- Ukraine's first-ever international match was a friendly against Hungary in Uzhhorod in 1992, where Hungary won both encounters (3:1, 2:1).
- Against Georgia, Ukraine has played both official matches and friendlies. Their most recent meetings in the Nations League ended in a narrow Ukrainian win and a 1:1 draw. Georgia has never defeated Ukraine, managing only 4 draws and suffering 7 losses.
- The history with Northern Ireland includes World Cup and European Championship qualifiers. Ukraine won both matches in the 1998 World Cup qualifiers (1:0, 2:1) and drew twice in the Euro 2004 qualifiers (0:0, 0:0). However, at Euro 2016, Ukraine lost 0:2 to Northern Ireland in the group stage. In a summer 2021 friendly, Ukraine secured a narrow victory.
Beyond the pitch, the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) has allocated a budget of 19.3 million euros for various programs in 2025. Of this sum, 4.1 million euros are designated for youth, women's, and children's national teams, while 3.8 million euros will cover the maintenance of the Football House, UAF operations, and staff. UAF President Andriy Shevchenko has expressed full confidence in head coach Serhiy Rebrov, stating that his dismissal is not under consideration.
This Nations League campaign is a crucial step for Ukraine, as success could significantly impact the team's development and its standing in FIFA's world rankings. Winning Group B2 would secure a return to the elite League A, offering higher-level competition and greater visibility. The UAF's substantial investment in youth development underscores a long-term strategy to build a competitive national team for the future, a vital effort as the country continues to face immense challenges.