Scotland’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine is postponed due to Russian invasion as SFA chiefs expect to be told of new date within the next 48 hours… with a June date now the likeliest for Hampden clash
- Scotland World Cup play-off semi-final with Ukraine has now been postponed
- The SFA will find out a new date within the next 48 hours, with a June tie likely
- The current Russian invasion in Ukraine has given UEFA no choice but to move it
- The postponement will also have a knock-on effect for Wales and Austria
SFA chiefs expect to receive a new date for Scotland’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine in the next 48 hours — after being told the March 24 fixture was off.
Ukraine asked UEFA and FIFA for a postponement last week following the devastating Russian invasion of their homeland.
While no formal announcement has yet been made, Hampden bosses received word on Monday that the sold-out game at the national stadium will not take place when originally scheduled. A new date is now awaited as negotiations continue.
Ukraine have had a request to postpone their World Cup play-off tie with Scotland accepted
Speaking at the weekend, Shakhtar Donetsk director of football Darijo Srna claimed UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had told him the match would be moved to June.
Sportsmail reported last week that Poland have offered to fill the gap by playing Scotland on March 24, but the situation remains unclear.
The Poles were due to meet Russia in another section of the World Cup play-offs before all Russian teams were suspended from UEFA and FIFA competitions due to their country’s military aggression. A final decision on that fixture is also expected imminently.
The Polish FA want Scotland to travel to their country, which borders Ukraine, but the SFA are instead focused on attaining a Hampden friendly if possible.
Scotland were due to host the Ukrainians on March 24, but a new date will now be found
A training camp to keep Steve Clarke’s squad ticking over has not been ruled out, although Hampden bosses are mindful of the match quotas present in lucrative broadcast contracts. Moving the play-off semi-finals will carry a knock-on effect for an already congested international calendar. Scotland are currently scheduled to play four Nations League games in June.
The Wales v Austria semi-final is also expected to shift date. The winners of that tie will host either Scotland or Ukraine for a place at the World Cup finals in Qatar later this year.
FAW chief executive Noel Mooney tweeted to Wales fans: ‘We have met with FIFA/UEFA/Austria/Scotland/Ukraine and we are hopeful of updating you in next day or so on fixtures.’
FIFA said on Monday that contracts for foreign players in Ukraine are ‘automatically suspended’ to June 30 ‘in order to provide players and coaches with the opportunity to work and receive a salary [abroad], and to protect Ukrainian clubs’.
In the absence of a World Cup play-off clash, Scotland want to host a friendly on the same date
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