Why this matters
On January 21 the 2026 Futsal European Championship begins, to be held in Lithuania, Latvia and Slovenia. For Ukraine this tournament is more than a series of matches: the squad submission and the group‑stage results will determine how quickly the team can confirm its status as a competitive national side in Europe and secure a place in the playoffs.
Official squad
The Association of Futsal of Ukraine (source — UNN) has published the final squad. It combines players with experience abroad and those who consistently play in Ukraine.
Goalkeepers: Іван Бєлімов ("Каспій", Kazakhstan), Олександр Сухов (ХІТ), Юрій Савенко ("Київ Футзал").
Universal players: Євгеній Жук, Ігор Чернявський, Олександр Педяш, Владислав Первєєв (all — ХІТ), Артем Фаренюк, Назар Швед, Даниіл Абакшин (all — "Євробус", Poland), Петро Шотурма, Ілля Приходько ("Ураган"), Ігор Корсун ("Осасуна Магна", Spain), Микола Микитюк ("Рібера Наварра", Spain).
"The Association of Futsal of Ukraine has published the final squad for the 2026 European Championship."
— Association of Futsal of Ukraine / UNN
Schedule and opponents: briefly
The national team was drawn into Group B. The first match is on January 22 against Armenia in Kaunas (Lithuania). Next, on January 25, comes the game against the host nation, Lithuania, and on January 28 the final group match is against the Czech Republic in Riga (Latvia). The tournament runs until February 7; the playoffs begin on January 31.
What this squad gives Ukraine
The mix of players who compete in strong foreign leagues (Spain, Poland, Kazakhstan) and those who consistently show form in Ukraine gives the team competitive depth. This matters not only for the group result but also for tactical flexibility in playoff matches.
An additional argument in favor of Ukrainian futsal is international success in related disciplines: for example, Ukraine's futsal team for players with visual impairments won the world championship in Turkey, beating England 3:2. This is social proof that Ukrainian futsal has the resources and coaching schools that produce results.
What to expect next
Initial conclusions about the team's combat readiness will become clear after the match with Armenia. For head coach Oleksandr Kosenko's staff, key factors will be defensive discipline, effectiveness on set pieces, and the use of squad depth in the second half of the tournament. Will that be enough to reach the quarterfinals? The answer depends on the combination of player form and tactical decisions in the first three games.
