The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group I was one of the nine UEFA groups for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. The group consisted of six teams: Croatia, Iceland, Ukraine, Turkey, Finland, and Kosovo.
The draw for the first round (group stage) was held as part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw on 25 July 2015, starting 18:00 MSK (UTC+3), at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, Saint Petersburg, Russia.[1] [2] Kosovo was added to the group after the draw, after becoming FIFA members together with Gibraltar in May 2016,[3] and UEFA decided not to put Kosovo in group H together with Bosnia and Herzegovina for security reasons.[4] [5]
The group winners, Iceland, qualified directly for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The group runners-up, Croatia, advanced to the play-offs as one of the best 8 runners-up. This was the first time Ukraine was eliminated after the first round, as the team had been eliminated in 1998, 2002, 2010 and 2014 after the play-offs, and qualified in 2006.
The fixture list prior to the inclusion of Kosovo was confirmed by UEFA on 26 July 2015, the day following the draw.[1] [6] Times are CET/CEST, as listed by UEFA (local times are in parentheses).[7]
------------------------------------
A player was automatically suspended for the next match for the following offences:[8]
The following suspensions were served during the qualifying matches:
| Player | Team | Offence(s) | Suspended for match(es) |
|---|---|---|---|
| vs Ukraine (5 September 2016) vs Finland (6 October 2016) | vs Turkey (9 October 2016) | ||
| vs Iceland (6 October 2016) vs Croatia (9 October 2016) | vs Ukraine (12 November 2016) | ||
| vs Finland (5 September 2016) vs Ukraine (9 October 2016) | vs Turkey (12 November 2016) | ||
| vs Ukraine (6 October 2016) vs Iceland (9 October 2016) | vs Kosovo (12 November 2016) | ||
| vs Iceland (12 November 2016) | vs Ukraine (24 March 2017) | ||
| vs Kosovo (5 September 2016) vs Ukraine (12 November 2016) | vs Turkey (24 March 2017) | ||
| vs Ukraine (9 October 2016) vs Croatia (12 November 2016) | vs Kosovo (24 March 2017) | ||
| vs Finland (5 September 2016) vs Turkey (12 November 2016) | vs Iceland (24 March 2017) | ||
| vs Turkey (6 October 2016) vs Finland (12 November 2016) | vs Croatia (24 March 2017) | ||
| vs Iceland (6 October 2016) vs Turkey (24 March 2017) | vs Ukraine (11 June 2017) | ||
| vs Croatia (9 October 2016) vs Turkey (24 March 2017) | |||
| vs Turkey (11 June 2017) | vs Croatia (2 September 2017) | ||
| vs Kosovo (12 November 2016) vs Kosovo (11 June 2017) | vs Ukraine (2 September 2017) | ||
| vs Finland (12 November 2016) vs Finland (11 June 2017) | vs Turkey (2 September 2017) | ||
| vs Turkey (24 March 2017) vs Iceland (2 September 2017) | vs Kosovo (5 September 2017) | ||
| vs Finland (2 September 2017) | vs Ukraine (5 September 2017) | ||
| vs Iceland (12 November 2016) vs Turkey (5 September 2017) | vs Finland (6 October 2017) | ||
| vs Iceland (2 September 2017) vs Kosovo (5 September 2017) | vs Croatia (6 October 2017) | ||
| vs Finland (2 September 2017) vs Ukraine (5 September 2017) | vs Turkey (6 October 2017) | ||
| Bernard Berisha | vs Turkey (11 June 2017) vs Finland (5 September 2017) | vs Ukraine (6 October 2017) | |
| vs Ukraine (9 October 2016) vs Finland (5 September 2017) | |||
| vs Ukraine (6 October 2016) vs Croatia (5 September 2017) | vs Iceland (6 October 2017) | ||
| vs Finland (11 June 2017) vs Iceland (5 September 2017) | vs Kosovo (6 October 2017) | ||
| vs Finland (12 November 2016) vs Iceland (5 September 2017) | |||
| Hekuran Kryeziu | vs Iceland (24 March 2017) vs Ukraine (6 October 2017) | vs Iceland (9 October 2017) | |
| vs Ukraine (6 October 2016) vs Iceland (6 October 2017) | vs Finland (9 October 2017) | ||
| vs Finland (12 November 2016) vs Kosovo (6 October 2017) | vs Croatia (9 October 2017) | ||
| vs Turkey (6 October 2016) vs Kosovo (6 October 2017) |