Scotland vs Ukraine: 2022 World Cup play-off, times, TV, how to watch online
Scotland and Ukraine meet in a UEFA qualifying semi-final playoff at Hampden Park this week, with the winner set to face Wales for a spot at the end-of-year tournament.
Scotland boss Steve Clarke is “desperate” to reach the Qatar 2022 World Cup as his side prepare for an emotionally charged encounter with Ukraine.
The two sides meet in a UEFA qualifying semi-final playoff at Hampden Park this week, with the winner set to face Wales for a spot at the end-of-year tournament.
The match will mark Ukraine’s first competitive fixture since the nation was invaded by Russia in February, with neutrals likely to be cheering Oleksandr Petrakov’s visitors on in Glasgow.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Clarke says the emotional tenor of the game will be led by their opponents, but insists his side will only be focused on their own on-field goals.
“We always said we would be guided by the Ukrainians as to how they felt,” he stated.
“They made a decision to get their football players out of the country and into a training camp to prepare for the game because they want to play, they want to try and give their nation a boost by qualifying for Qatar.
Ukraine dream
Ukraine midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko broke into tears on the eve of his team’s crucial World Cup qualifier with Scotland and said he wanted above everything to see peace in his homeland.
But Zinchenko, who plays for Premier League champions Manchester City, said the prospect of World Cup qualification was secondary to the main hope of his countrymen.
“Every Ukrainian wants one thing -- to stop this war. I spoke to people from different countries, all over the world and I spoke to some Ukrainian kids who just don’t understand what’s happening back in Ukraine. They only want the war to stop they have one dream to stop the war,” he said.
“When it comes to football, the team, we have our own dream. We want to go to the World Cup, want to give these incredible emotions to the Ukrainians because they deserve it so much at this very moment,” he said.
“It’s impossible to describe these feelings until you are not in this position. The things which are happening now in our country, it’s not acceptable. It’s something which I cannot even describe,” he said.
“So that’s why we need to stop this aggression altogether and we need to win because Ukraine is a country of freedom. Ukraine is never going to give up,” he added.
“But the thing is, which I would like to say as well that a lot of countries maybe don’t understand that -- today it is Ukraine but tomorrow it can be you. So that’s why we need to be united and need to defeat aggression altogether,” he added.
“I am sure that the whole of Ukraine will be watching us. We will feel the support. We can talk a lot, but we need to prove everything on the field. We will try to make our people happy and proud,” he said.
What time does Scotland vs Ukraine start?
The 2022 World Cup play-off game between Scotland and Ukraine will kick off at Hampden Park (Glasgow) with a 2:45 p.m. ET start (11:45 p:m PT) on Wednesday 1 June.
That’s 20:45 CEST and 19:45 UK time.
Find out what time Scotland-Ukraine starts if you’re elsewhere in the world.
Where can I watch Scotland-Ukraine in the US?
In the US, the following television channels and online services will be broadcasting the match from Glasgow:
US: ESPN+, SiriusXM FC, TUDN.com, TUDN USA, TUDN App, ESPN2
Find out who is showing Scotland-Ukraine elsewhere in the world.
Scotland-Ukraine: live AS USA coverage
You’ll also be able to follow live-text coverage of the game from the heart of Glasgow right here at AS USA. We’ll be building up to the game well ahead of kick-off, before taking you through the action as it unfolds.