Евролига и Кубок Мира разошлись... [The Euroleague and the World Cup have parted ways ...] (in Russian). beachsoccer.ru. 1 April 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
As the runners-up, Ukraine originally qualified for the World Cup in 2021. However, the Ukrainian Association of Football subsequently refused to sanction the participation of the team at the World Cup finals in Moscow.[24] It was reported that the decision was made as part of a wider sporting boycott of Russia by Ukrainian authorities due to ongoing tensions between the two states.[25] As the next best-placed team in the qualifiers in fifth place, Switzerland qualified post factum as lucky losers in order to replace Ukraine.[24] Originally, the fifth placed team did not qualify to the 2021 World Cup because Russia claimed the fifth European spot automatically as World Cup hosts; they did not take part in the 2021 event in knowing qualification was already secured.
Ukraine originally qualified for the World Cup in 2024. However, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine subsequently refused to sanction the participation of the team at the World Cup finals in protest at the Belarus national team being allowed to compete, whom it believed should be barred from entering due the country's role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[26] As the next best-placed team in the qualifiers in fifth place,[27]Spain qualified post factum as lucky losers in order to replace Ukraine.[28] Originally, the fifth placed team did not qualify to the 2024 World Cup because the United Arab Emirates had already qualified automatically for the World Cup as its host nation, occupying one of the three AFC berths available. With the most berths, UEFA were therefore chosen by FIFA to give one of their spots to Asia to allow three teams from the AFC to compete regionally and qualify to the World Cup as normal.[29]
