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Ukraine To Face France In World Cup Playoff


The Ukrainian football team warms up before a match with Poland on October 10.
The Ukrainian football team warms up before a match with Poland on October 10.
Ukraine will face former world and European champions France in a two-leg playoff for a spot at next year's football World Cup in Brazil.

The qualifying draw in Zurich also established that in the other three European playoff games for the World Cup, Portugal will play Sweden, Iceland will face Croatia, and one-time European champions Greece will compete against Romania.

The first leg of the playoffs is scheduled for November 15, with the second leg four days later. The four winners will complete Europe's 13 entries in the 32-team World Cup draw on December 6 in Salvador, Brazil.

Germany, England, Italy, Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, and defending champion Spain have already qualified from the European qualifying games.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

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