Facing the European champions should be a career highlight, but for Ukraine forward Nicole Kozlova the moment is shaded by the realities of war. She would love to host the upcoming World Cup qualifier in Kyiv, yet the Russian invasion means the tie will be played in Antalya, Turkey — more than four years since Ukraine last hosted an international on home soil.
Asked how it feels not to play in front of home fans, Kozlova sums it up in a single word: “Anger.” She adds it feels unfair to both the players and the country, while also saying the squad is grateful to be able to play and represent Ukraine at all.
That mixture of frustration and acceptance, she says, reflects a wider national attitude: life must continue amid hardship. Kozlova points to practical difficulties — brutal winters, limited electricity — and the emotional strain of teammates who have loved ones on the frontlines. “There’s always someone in a worse situation than you,” she says, describing how players balance personal worry with professional duty.
Kozlova, born in Canada and now signed to Glasgow City after leaving Vorskla Poltava in 2024, spoke to Sky Sports at Glasgow City’s training base. Many of her national teammates still live and play in Ukraine, where facilities and routines have been repeatedly disrupted. “For example, the club I was at — they actually hit one of our training facilities just a couple of weeks ago, so now that field is not in use,” she says. Yet, she adds, the league and daily life continue.
Her own experiences include going without water or power at home and relying on stadium facilities to shower. Matches are frequently interrupted by air raid sirens; a 90-minute game can stretch into five hours because play is paused whenever a shelter is necessary. To reduce the risk of disruption, many fixtures are scheduled for late morning when sirens are less likely: “Most games started purposefully at 11am or 12pm because there’d be fewer air sirens and you’d have time to finish the game.”
Kozlova acknowledges how difficult it is to convey what living under attack feels like to those who haven’t experienced it. “You don’t know it until you hear the first explosion,” she says. The instinctive reaction is fear, quickly followed by trying to assess how close the strike was.
Travel for international matches has become arduous. Ukraine last hosted a match in 2021; since then home fixtures have been played at neutral venues. Many players make long journeys: reach Kyiv, endure a roughly 15-hour train ride with long waits at the border, then fly to the match destination — often leaving at midnight. “So it takes at least 24 hours and every trip is like that. They’re kind of used to it now, but I know it never gets easier,” Kozlova explains.
On the field, Ukraine face a tough 2027 World Cup qualifying group that includes Spain, England and Iceland. Only the group winner will qualify directly for Brazil 2027; the other sides will go into playoffs. It was also confirmed that Ukraine’s away fixture against England in June will take place at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Despite the strain, Kozlova describes a strong sense of purpose when putting on the national shirt. “We’re playing for something a bit more than just yourself now,” she says. The team refuses to use the circumstances as an excuse and focuses on delivering results for their country.
Kozlova hopes she will be on the pitch when international football finally returns to Ukraine. She says she would likely be speechless; hearing the anthem and singing it at home, potentially with family present, would be extraordinary. “I think it would be the best game you’ll ever see us play,” she adds, while voicing the wider hope for an end to the conflict. For now, playing home fixtures in Turkey, Poland or wherever is the new normal, but the priority remains a peaceful return that allows Ukraine to host matches again.