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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Walker

Scotland vs Ukraine World Cup playoff date identified as UEFA get creative to ease manic June fixture list

Ukraine will receive a choice of two dates for the World Cup play-off with Scotland.

And the Hampden semi-final is also set to serve a dual-purpose with UEFA expected to confirm it will also count as a Nations League game.

Steve Clarke and his players await more news from European football's governing body on the crucial match with the winner taking on Wales in Cardiff to reach Qatar.

But reports in Ukraine suggest UEFA have pencilled in May 31 and June 1 as the two days the match could take place, with the Ukrainian FA allowed to choose which date suits them best.

They are reeling from the war instigated by Russia with domestic-based players given special permits to leave the country and train abroad in preparation for the game.

Scotland are due to play Ukraine in Glasgow on June 7 as a Nations League qualifier, but the earlier match will now count as a World Cup qualifier and a Nations League game to reduce the fixture backlog.

It would mean the SFA would lose out on around £2 million from ticket sales and commercial support if the two games were turned into one.

And UEFA will still have to decide when the final in Cardiff would take place with Steve Clarke's side also due to face Armenia on June 4 and Ireland in Dublin on June 11, before travelling to Armenia three days later in Yerevan.

Hampden will host the semi-final (SNS Group)

Ukraine are trying to confirm a training camp so they can prepare to face the Scots, with Dynamo Kyiv players in Romania and Shakhtar Donetsk stars in Turkey, with the vast majority of their 16 domestic players in their last squad coming from the two clubs.

They are weighing up offers to base their squad in either Poland or Turkey, with the Polish FA offering to take care of all accommodation and travelling costs ahead of the game in Scotland.

Confirmation of a date would finally end any suggestion of Scotland and Wales offering Ukraine a bye to the finals, which has already been rejected by both Ukrainian FA president Andriy Pavelko and manager Oleksandr Petrakov.

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