Ukraine’s national team has been forced into a late squad change ahead of their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier against France.

Everton left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko has withdrawn from the squad due to injury. The 25-year-old sustained a knock during club duty with the Toffees and underwent an MRI scan, which confirmed the issue. As a result, he will miss both upcoming qualifiers.

Mykolenko has been replaced by Vladyslav Dubinchak, a defender from Dynamo Kyiv, according to the official announcement by the UAF (Ukrainian Football Association).

Ukraine Squad for September World Cup Qualifiers

Goalkeepers: Heorhiy Bushchan (Al-Shabab, Saudi Arabia), Anatoliy Trubin (Benfica, Portugal), Dmytro Riznyk (Shakhtar Donetsk).

Defenders: Illia Zabarnyi (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Oleksandr Svatok (Austin FC, USA), Valeriy Bondar, Mykola Matviyenko, Yukhym Konoplia (all Shakhtar Donetsk), Taras Mykhavko, Vladyslav Dubinchak (both Dynamo Kyiv), Bohdan Mykhailichenko (Polissya Zhytomyr).

Midfielders: Oleksandr Zinchenko (Nottingham Forest, England), Yehor Yarmolyuk (Brentford, England), Ivan Kalyuzhnyi (Metalist 1925 Kharkiv), Mykola Shaparenko, Nazar Voloshyn (both Dynamo Kyiv), Oleh Ocheretko, Artem Bondarenko (both Shakhtar Donetsk), Oleksii Hutsulyak, Oleksandr Nazarenko (both Polissya Zhytomyr), Viktor Tsyhankov (Girona, Spain), Heorhiy Sudakov (Benfica, Portugal), Oleksandr Zubkov (Trabzonspor, Turkey).

Forwards: Roman Yaremchuk (Olympiacos, Greece), Artem Dovbyk (AS Roma, Italy), Vladyslav Vanat (Girona, Spain).

What’s Next for Ukraine?

Ukraine are now in full preparation mode for their opening two qualifiers. They face France on September 5 in Wrocław, Poland, followed by an away trip to Azerbaijan on September 9 in Baku.