For the first time since 2022, Ukrainians will compete against Russians in a team sport

The Ukrainian national team will face the aggressor nation’s representatives in the Water Polo World Cup currently underway in Malta. 

This was reported by Glavkom, citing the results of the semifinal matches for 5th–8th place. Following Ukraine’s loss to Australia (15–21) and Russia’s loss to Romania (12–16), the teams will face off in the match for seventh place in the second division.

World Aquatics became the first organization to allow teams from the Russian Federation to participate in competitions under a neutral status, effectively ignoring the IOC’s current recommendations. This precedent became possible after the prolonged suspension of Russian athletes, which had been in effect since the start of the full-scale invasion. The match, scheduled for April 13, 2026, will be the first face-to-face encounter between the national teams in team sports since February 2022.

The last meeting between Ukraine and Russia at this level took place in the semifinals of the European Futsal Championship a few weeks before the start of the war. At that time, the Ukrainian team lost 2–3. Currently, the sports community is closely monitoring World Aquatics’ decision, as it could influence the future policies of other international federations regarding the aggressor’s participation in major sports.

The International Olympic Committee declined to comment on statements by Russian Sports Minister and Russian Olympic Committee President Mikhail Degtyarev, who publicly supports the war against Ukraine.

Additionally, a Russian cycling champion was disqualified for doping.