Ukraine Calls Up Eduard Sarapii for World Cup Playoffs Amid Injury Crisis

National Team Call-Up

According to Главком: Eduard Sarapii, a defender for Zhytomyr's 'Polissia', has received a late call-up to the Ukrainian national team for their 2026 World Cup qualification playoff matches. He replaces the injured Maksym Talovierov from 'Stoke City', who suffered an ankle injury and is out for the rest of the season. While Sarapii has been called up to the national squad before, he is yet to make his official debut for the team.

The team is grappling with a significant injury list, which has also ruled out key players such as Mykola Matviienko, Arsenii Batahov, Taras Mykhavko, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Artem Dovbyk. Furthermore, Yukhym Konoplia and Ruslan Malinovskyi are suspended for one match each, further depleting the squad's options. This comes at a critical juncture as Ukraine prepares for its most important fixtures of the qualifying campaign.

Playoff Schedule and Nations League Draw

Ukraine's World Cup playoff semi-final against Sweden is scheduled for March 26th in Valencia, with the final playoff match set for March 31st. In other news, 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. Their first match in the new Nations League cycle is against Hungary on September 25th.

The updated squad for the Ukrainian national team is as follows:

• Goalkeepers:
  • Anatolii Trubin ('Benfica')
  • Dmytro Riznyk ('Shakhtar')
  • Ruslan Neshcheret ('Dynamo')
• Defenders:
  • Illia Zabarnyi ('Paris Saint-Germain')
  • Oleksandr Svatok ('Austin FC')
  • Valerii Bondar
  • Yukhym Konoplia ('Shakhtar')
  • Eduard Sarapii ('Polissia')
  • Vitalii Mykolenko ('Everton')
  • Oleksandr Tymchyk ('Dynamo')
  • Bohdan Mykhailichenko
  • Borys Krushynskyi ('Polissia')
• Midfielders:
  • Yehor Yarmolyuk ('Brentford')
  • Ivan Kalizhnyi ('Metalist 1925')
  • Oleg Ocheretko ('Shakhtar')
  • Heorhiy Sudakov ('Benfica')
  • Ruslan Malinovskyi ('Genoa')
  • Mykola Shaparenko
  • Oleksandr Pikhalyonok
  • Nazar Voloshyn ('Dynamo')
  • Oleksii Hutsuliak ('Polissia')
  • Viktor Tsyhankov ('Girona')
  • Oleksandr Zubkov ('Trabzonspor')
• Forwards:
  • Vladyslav Vanat ('Girona')
  • Roman Yaremchuk ('Lyon')
  • Matvii Ponomarenko ('Dynamo')

A reserve list has also been compiled, consisting of:

• Yevhen Volynets
• Serhii Chobotenko
• Oleksandr Nazarenko
• Ihor Krasnopir
• Kostiantyn Vivcharenko
• Volodymyr Brazhko
• Yehor Nazaryna
• Oleksii Sych

Sarapii's inclusion highlights not only the immediate need to cover for injured players but also the growing competition for places within the national team setup. With numerous absences due to injury and suspension, squad depth will be a decisive factor in preparing for the crucial playoff matches. The Ukrainian team aims to utilize all available resources to secure victory against Sweden and continue its quest for a place at the World Cup. These upcoming fixtures are pivotal not just for qualification, but also for the team's development ahead of the new Nations League season.

As Ukraine prepares for a crucial playoff against Sweden, understanding the strength of their opponent is essential. The Swedish national team has recently announced their squad for the upcoming match, which includes several key players who could pose a challenge for Ukraine. For more insights on Sweden's lineup and their strategies leading up to the match, check out our detailed coverage here.