As Greece and Italy who both failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will close out their 2025-26 international campaigns with a friendly clash in Crete on Sunday, Denmark will conclude their summer international schedule on Sunday evening when they host Ukraine at Odense Isstadion, with both nations hoping to build confidence after narrowly missing out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ranked 20th in the FIFA World Rankings, Denmark are widely regarded as one of the strongest European sides absent from the tournament after their heartbreaking playoff defeat to the Czech Republic on penalties following a dramatic 2-2 draw after extra time.
Brian Riemer’s side had earlier finished second in their qualification group behind Scotland, whose crucial 4-2 victory in Glasgow secured automatic qualification, while France also confirmed their World Cup place in emphatic fashion with a commanding 4-0 victory over Ukraine in Paris.
Denmark’s frustrations continued in midweek as they were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw against DR Congo, extending concerns over form ahead of the UEFA Nations League campaign.
Ukraine, meanwhile, suffered another painful World Cup playoff exit after a 3-1 defeat to Sweden inspired by a Viktor Gyokeres hat-trick, marking the fifth straight World Cup qualification failure for Syn’o-Zhovti since their only finals appearance in 2006.
However, Andrea Maldera’s men have responded positively since missing out on the tournament, recording consecutive victories over Albania and Poland, including an impressive 2-0 win in Wroclaw. Denmark will still take confidence from their strong historical home record against Ukraine, although the visitors famously defeated the Danes 1-0 during qualification for the 2006 World Cup thanks to Andriy Voronin’s decisive strike.
Team News
Denmark remain without experienced figures Christian Norgaard, Kasper Schmeichel and Jannik Vestergaard following their international retirements. William Osula and Mads Hermansen are both pushing for starting spots after the draw with DR Congo.
Danish men’s national team via their X handle announced squad changes, removing Andreas Christensen and Mathias Jensen due to an assessment of their physical readiness for two matches in quick succession.
Thomas Jørgensen and Victor Bak have been called up as replacements for the squad. Mohamed Daramy was also withdrawn after a non-football-related emergency department visit in Spa during the night; the issue is minor and he is otherwise fine but will miss Sunday’s game.
Ukraine are expected to stick closely to the lineup that defeated Poland. Roman Yaremchuk is likely to continue ahead of Artem Dovbyk in attack, while Mykola Matviienko should again anchor the defence.
Possible Lineups
Greece possible starting lineup:
Tzolakis; Vagiannidis, Retsos, Mavropanos, Tsimikas; Zafeiris, Kourbelis, Triantis; Tzolis; Douvikas, Pavlidis
Italy possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Fortini, Comuzzo, Ahanor, Bartesaghi; Ndour, Lipani, Pisilli; Fini, Esposito, Koleosho
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport |
| Live Stream | DAZN |
| Kick-off Time | 17:30 (WAT) |
Match Prediction
Softfootball predicts Denmark 1-1 Ukraine.
Denmark’s recent form has been underwhelming, but home advantage and a desire to bounce back from playoff disappointment could inspire a stronger display. Ukraine, however, look sharper in attack and arrive with greater momentum after consecutive wins. A closely contested encounter is expected, with both teams likely to create chances.
