FIFA chiefs have issued a grovelling apology to the Ukrainian FA for an “unacceptable” error they “sincerely regret” during the World Cup qualifying draw.

The Eastern European country ended up in Group D alongside Iceland, Azerbaijan and either France or Croatia.

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But there was a controversial moment during the draw when Fifa attempted to depict countries which could not cross borders to face each other.

Spain vs Gibraltar was cited as one example, with Kosovo versus either Serbia or Bosnia & Herzegovina another.

A map with shaded areas revealed which nations fell into the category.

But Ukrainian chiefs were left outraged when their country was flagged for any potential clash with Belarus.

The dark patch showed Ukraine without the territory of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

The Black Sea peninsula is still officially classed as an administrative division of Ukraine.

But Russia now occupies Crimea and has several military air bases stationed there following 2022’s illegal invasion of the mainland.

Ukraine’s FA wrote a furious letter to Fifa expressing their anger over the map.

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And football’s governing body have now responded expressing their “sincere regret” over the decision.

Elkhan Mammadov, Chief Member Association Officer, said: “We acknowledge receipt of your letter and would like to thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

World Cup qualifying draw in full

Group A: Winner GER/ITA, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg

Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo

Group C: Loser POR/DEN, Greece, Scotland, Belarus

Group D: Winner FRA/CRO, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan

Group E: Winner SPA/NED, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria

Group F: Winner POR/DEN, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia

Group G: Loser SPA/NED, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta

Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino

Group I: Loser GER/ITA, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova

Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechenstein

Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra

Group L: Loser FRA/CRO, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar

“We deeply respect the concerns raised and the sensitivity of the issue at hand.

“The infographic in question was developed by an external third-party service provider.

“Upon recognising the issue, we have taken immediate steps to address the situation, including working to have the image removed from circulation.

“Additionally, we are conducting an internal review to ensure such oversights do not recur in the future.

“We fully understand the delicate sensitivity of this matter and while the incident was unintentional, we sincerely regret any concern it may have caused and appreciate your understand as we work to address this situation responsibly.”

The Ukrainian FA’s initial letter had stated: “We are writing to express our deep concern regarding the infographic map of Europe shown during the TV broadcast of the European Qualifiers draw for the Fifa World Cup 2026 on December 13, 2024.

“The map, which indicated the countries unable to cross borders, highlighted the territory of Ukraine without the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

“Considering several official decisions and resolutions passed by the Fifa Council and the Uefa Executive Committee since 2014, which addressed the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the protection of football stakeholders in our country from the aggressive policies of the Russian terrorist state, including regarding the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, we emphasise that the version of the map presented by Fifa during the global broadcast to a multi-million audience is unacceptable.

“It appears as an inconsistent stance by Fifa and Uefa on this crucial issue, especially in light of the ongoing destructive invasion initiated by Russia against Ukraine in the 21st century, in the heart of Europe.”