Ukrainian Foreign Ministry demanded a public apology from FIFA for the map without Crimea

The speaker of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Georgiy Tykhiy, on December 14 demanded an apology from the International Football Federation (FIFA) for showing a map during the broadcast of the draw for the European qualification for the 2026 World Cup, in which Crimea is not part of Ukraine.

As reported by the BBC, the graphic showed countries that cannot play each other for geopolitical reasons. Thus, Ukraine was emphasized, but the Crimean peninsula was not included.

"By redrawing international borders in yesterday's broadcast, you not only acted against international law, but also supported Russian propaganda," Tykhiy later wrote in his account on the social network X (former Twitter).

He also added that Ukraine "expects a public apology."

According to the TV channel, FIFA said it was aware of the problem, the image was later removed.

Among the countries that cannot play each other are Ukraine and Belarus, Spain and Gibraltar, and Kosovo against Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia.

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In January, the Ukrainian TV channel Rada showed a live broadcast of a map of Russia with Crimea as part of the country's territory. The channel has since restricted the ability to rewind the broadcast.

On February 28, 2022 FIFA and UEFA suspended national teams and clubs from the Russian Federation from participation in all competitions under the auspices of the organizations. As assured in the organizations, soccer will become "a vector of unity and peace between peoples" in case the situation around Ukraine improves.

Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 after a referendum in which the majority of the peninsula's residents voted in favor of reunification with the Russian Federation. Kiev refuses to recognize the results of the vote and considers Crimea its territory. The Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the residents of Crimea democratically voted for reunification in full compliance with international law and that the question of the peninsula's belonging to the Russian Federation is finally closed.