By BBC (Sports) | Created at 2024-12-17 16:23:14 | Updated at 2024-12-17 18:42:26
2 hours ago
Fifa says it "sincerely regrets" that a map shown during the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw appeared to exclude Crimea as part of Ukraine.
The graphic - showing countries that cannot be drawn to play each other for geopolitical reasons - highlighted Ukraine but did not include the peninsula that is internationally recognised to be part of it.
Crimea has been under Russian occupation since 2014 and only a handful of countries recognise the peninsula as Russian territory.
Fifa has written to the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) general secretary Igor Gryshchenko about the matter.
"We fully understand the delicate sensitivity of this matter and while the incident was unintentional, we sincerely regret any concern it may have caused," wrote Fifa chief member associations officer Elkhan Mammadov.
World football's governing body added that the infographic was "developed by an external third-party service provider".
"Upon recognising the issue, we have taken immediate steps to address the situation, including working to have the image removed from circulation," it added.
"Additionally, we are conducting an internal review to ensure such oversights do not recur in the future."
Ukraine foreign ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy demanded "a public apology" from Fifa following the qualifying draw.
Writing on X, Tykhy said Fifa "not only acted against international law, but also supported Russian propaganda, war crimes, and the crime of aggression against Ukraine".
Ukraine were drawn into group D of the World Cup qualifiers alongside Iceland, Azerbaijan and the winners of the Nations League quarter-final between France and Croatia.
The expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup is to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
