Ukrainian Premier League Explained

Ukrainian Premier League
Pixels:180px
Country:Ukraine
Confed:UEFA
Founded:
as Vyshcha Liha

as Ukrainska Premier Liha
Teams:16
Relegation:Ukrainian First League
Levels:1
Champions:Shakhtar Donetsk (15th title)
Season:2023–24
Most Champs:Dynamo Kyiv (16 titles)
Most Appearances:Oleksandr Shovkovskyi (426)
Website:UPL.ua
Current:2024–25 Ukrainian Premier League

The Ukrainian Premier League (Ukrainian: "Українська Прем'єр-ліга", Ukrainska Premier Liha) or UPL is the highest division of Ukrainian annual football championship. Originally known as the Vyshcha Liha (Ukrainian: Вища ліга, Top League) it was formed in 1991 during the 1992[1] Ukrainian football championship upon discontinuation of the 1991 Soviet football championship and included the Ukraine-based clubs that competed previously in the Soviet top three tiers competitions as well as better clubs of the Ukrainian republican competitions. The initial season of the league featured six former Soviet Top League clubs among which were Dynamo, Shakhtar, Chornomorets, Dnipro, Metalist, Metalurh as well as four more clubs that previously also competed at the top league.

The Ukrainian Premier League is also a public organization of professional clubs. In 1996 along with the other professional football leagues of Ukraine, a council of the Vyshcha Liha (Top League) clubs became a member of the Professional Football League of Ukraine.[1] [2] In 2008[3] [4] was withdrawn from Professional Football League of Ukraine and reformed into a separate self-governed entity of the Ukrainian Association of Football (previously Football Federation of Ukraine), officially changing its name to the current one.

As a leading club of the Soviet Top League, Dynamo Kyiv continues to be the league's "flagship club", while since the mid 2000s the league has been dominated by Shakhtar Donetsk. Three of Ukrainian clubs reached the finals of European club competitions: Dynamo (as Soviet club), Shakhtar and Dnipro. Among Ukrainian fans the most popular Ukrainian clubs are Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk. Other popular clubs include Karpaty Lviv, Metalist Kharkiv, Chornomorets Odesa and Dnipro.[5] Its rank was 12th highest in Europe as rated by UEFA as of 2021.

Since 2014, the operation of the League has been disrupted greatly on account of the Russo-Ukrainian War, worsening with the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The league has been affected by destruction of its sports infrastructure, many Ukrainian players choosing to join their military, and disruption to match attendances and many other facets of the league's operation.

General overview and format

The 2023–24 season is the league's sixteenth after the restructuring of professional club football in 2008 and the 33rd season since the establishing of professional club competitions independent from the Soviet Union. As of 2024, Shakhtar Donetsk is the reigning Ukrainian Premier League champion. To summarise, Tavriya Simferopol won the first championship, while all the subsequent titles have gone to either Dynamo Kyiv or Shakhtar Donetsk. Only 2 teams, Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk, have participated in all previous 33 Ukrainian Top League competitions. The central feature of the league is a game between the same Dynamo and Shakhtar, which developed into the Klasychne (Classic).

On 15 April 2008 the new Premier-Liha (Premier League) was formed. It consists of 12 football clubs that take control of the league's operations under the statues of Football Federation of Ukraine, UEFA, and FIFA. With the new reorganization the format of the League was preserved, while the changes that were made were exclusively administrative. Competitions continued to be conducted in a double round robin format among 16 clubs. There were a couple of seasons when the league experimented with a 14 club composition.

In 2014, the league was reduced to 12 members, while its format has changed. The season is still being played in a double round robin in the first half of a season, after which the league splits in half into two groups of six teams. Both the top six and the bottom six play another a double round robin tournament with the clubs of their grouping. For 2019-20 a post-season play-off for qualification for the European club competitions was introduced.

The teams that reach the top ranks of the competition table at the end of each season, gain the chance to represent Ukraine internationally in several prestigious tournaments (continental club tournaments). At the end of the season, the bottom clubs (usually two) are relegated to the First League, part of the lower Professional Football League, and are replaced by the top clubs from that league. All the participants of the Premier League enter the National Cup competition and enter it at the round of 32 (1/16th of the final) or Round of 16 stage.

The winner of the League at the beginning of every next season plays against the winner of the National Cup for the Ukrainian Super Cup, under administration of the Premier Liha. Beside Super Cup game and championship among senior teams of the league's clubs, the league conducts competitions among junior teams, including under 21s and under 19s. The champion of the under 19 championship qualifies for the UEFA Youth League.

Emblem

The old emblem depicts a football wrapped by a blue-yellow stripe, the national colors of Ukraine, on a blue background. Across the top and around the ball there are 16 stars that represent the league's participants. In 2014 when the league was reduced to 14 teams, the emblem wasn't changed. On the bottom, the script says "Premier-League – Union of Professional Football Clubs of Ukraine".

As with the old emblem, the new emblem contains 16 stars. For the 2016–17 season, the sponsor's name was added.

Title sponsors

Since at least 2006, the league has placed its sponsors' names in its seasons' titles. The first sponsor was Russian-Ukrainian alcoholic beverage company "Soyuz-Viktan", in the 2006–07 Ukrainian championship.[6] [7] [8] While the contract was signed for five years and officially presented by the presidents of the Football Federation of Ukraine and the Professional Football League of Ukraine as a title sponsor, Soyuz-Viktan was expected to stay for couple of seasons. But in 2007 a new title sponsor, "Biola" from Dnipro was announced.[9] [6] [10]

Previously "Soyuz-Viktan" was sponsoring the Russian ice hockey team and its Hockey Super League. In 2006 it also became the sponsor of the newly established Channel One Cup.[11] Back in 2002, Mirror Weekly published an article that leaders of "Soyuz-Viktan" were convicted in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to 15 years imprisonment.[12] The reputation of "Soyuz-Viktan" was questioned on several occasions.[13]

Soon after the establishment of the Premier-Liha, in 2008 a contract was signed with a new sponsor, Epicentr K, a network of home improvement stores.[6] [14] The sum of the contract was announced as $3.6 million,[15] while just three months before there were speculations that the new sponsor would pay no less than $5 million.[16] In 2013 the contract expired.

A new contract was established in 2015 with a bookmaking company Pari-Match, which lasted for a couple of seasons.[14] [17] [18] [19]

Season's format and regulations

Season regulations are one of the two most important documents (other being the competition calendar) that are adopted by the Premier League prior to each season.

The Premier League directly organizes and conducts competitions among member clubs. Competitions are conducted on the principle of "Fair play" and according to the competition calendar which is approved by the Premier League General Assembly and the FFU Executive Committee 30 days before start of competitions. Until 2019 all advertisement, commercial rights and rights on TV and radio broadcasting of games of championship and cup belong to the club that hosts them (the Super Cup of Ukraine and the "Gold game"). All advertisement, commercial rights and rights on TV and radio broadcasting of the game of Super Cup and the "Gold game". Before 2014 Premier League was also administering some rounds of the Ukrainian Cup (round of 8, quarterfinals, and semifinals). The earlier rounds were administered by the Professional League and the final by the Federation. Since 2014 the organization of Ukrainian Cup competitions in full belongs exclusively to the Federation.

There are currently 12 club members of the league. All participants get approved by the Premier League General Assembly. Each club fields each team for senior competitions, and competitions for under 21 and under 19 teams (three teams). A club is required to have a stadium (registered with FFU) and an education and training facility (or center). A club is also obligated to finance its own youth sports institution and a complex scientific-methodical group as well as to own and finance a number of youth teams. A Premier League club needs to ensure the participation of at least four youth teams (ages groups between 14 and 17) in the Youth Football League of Ukraine. A club cannot field more than one team for a certain competition.

All club's staff members (coaches, physicians, massage specialists) have to be contracted and be UEFA licensed. All coaches should have A-diploma, while head coaches – PRO-diploma. Football players are listed in "A" and "B" rosters. "A" roster contains no more than 25 players, while "B" roster has unlimited number of players no older than 21 who have professional contracts or agreements for sports training. The 25-players "A" roster includes the number of slots allotted for players developed by the club.

During breaks in competitions in summer and winter there are two periods for registering players.

Beside the main championship among senior teams, the Premier League also organizes youth championship which was adopted from the previous Vyshcha Liha championship of doubles (reserves). Since 2012 there was added another competition for junior teams, so the original youth championship was renamed into the Championship of U-21 teams and the new competition was named as the Championship of U-19 teams. Unlike the Championship of U-21 teams, in the Championship of U-19 teams beside all of the Premier League clubs' junior teams, there also compete teams of some lower leagues' clubs.

The league's championship among senior teams is conducted by manner of the round robin system in two cycles "fall-spring" with one game at home and another at opponent's field with each participant. A competition calendar is formed after a draw that is conducted based on the Premier League club rankings. The calendar of the second cycle repeats the first, while hosting teams are switched. There should be no less than two calendar days between official games of a club. All games take place between 12:00 and 22:00 local time. Any game postponement is allowed only in emergencies and on decision of the Premier League Administration (Dyrektsiya). Game forfeitures are controlled by technical win/loss nominations and fines, followed by additional sanctions of the FFU Control-Disciplinary Committee, and possible elimination from the league.

Competition calendar

Clubs play each other twice (once at home and once away) in the 26-match season. The league begins in mid-July and ends in mid-June. After 13 rounds of fixtures, there is a winter break that lasts for three months (from early December to early March). Thus, the winter break is significantly longer than the interval between seasons. This schedule accounts for climatic conditions and matches that of most European leagues in terms of the beginning and the end of the season.

The first season of the League in 1992 was an exception, as it lasted only half a year. This was because the last Soviet league season ended in the autumn of 1991, and the Football Federation of Ukraine decided to shift the calendar from "spring-fall" to "fall-spring" football seasons. In the inaugural season, 20 clubs were divided into two 10-team groups. In both groups, each club played each other twice, and the championship was decided by a play-off match between the group winners, in which Tavriya Simferopol surprised the pre-season favorite Dynamo Kyiv.

After the first season, in each of the following seasons each team played each other team in the League twice. The number of participating teams fluctuated between 14 and 18, stabilizing since 2002–03 season at 16.

As of the 2005–06 season, the golden match rule was introduced. According to the rule, if the first two teams obtain the same number of points, the championship is to be decided by an additional "golden" match between the two teams. In fact, in that season Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk had earned the same number of points and Shakhtar won the championship by winning the golden match (2 - 1 after extra time).

History

See also: Football in Ukraine, Soviet Top League, Championship of the Ukrainian SSR and Football Federation of the Ukrainian SSR.

Creation

Before 1992, Ukrainian domestic football league competitions were conducted among Ukrainian teams that competed in one of groups within the Soviet third tier consisting of around 20 teams. Beside that championship another over 20 teams competed in two upper tiers where they played along with other teams across the Soviet Union. Also, at the same time there were conducted competitions among KFK (amateur teams) at lower level. With the Soviet Union tumbling down (as one classic once called it, "the biggest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century"),[26] in late 1991 there arose discussion about creation of separate competition which would include all better Ukrainian clubs. Following the failed 1991 August putsch, the Ukrainian parliament declared a state independence and appointed a date of referendum to confirm the decision.

Despite the failed putsch and declaration of independence by number of Soviet union republics, the Football Federation of the Soviet Union continued with planning of the 1992 football season.[26] In September 1991 in Soviet magazine "Futbol" appeared some comments from head coaches of Ukrainian clubs playing in the Soviet First League (Tavriya and Bukovyna).[26] The Tavriya head coach Anatoliy Zayaev said that the club is strongly against participation in Ukrainian championship and intend to continue to play in Soviet championship.[26] The Bukovyna head coach Yukhym Shkolnykov said that the club does not have any wishes to return to the Ukrainian group as planned by the republican federation and no one should let politics transverse football.[26] On May 1, 2024, Ukrainian journalist Ihor Tsyhanyk released a video-interview where he claimed that one of motivations to conduct the championship in the spring of 1992 was a financial situation of FC Dynamo Kyiv. He pointed to the fact that Dynamo won the 1990 Soviet Top League and qualified for the 1991–92 European Cup where it received prize money by participating in the testing season of the UEFA Champions League. Tsyhanyk also mentioned that Dynamo was losing money due to a poor business management of players transfer but did not mention that in the Soviet period when transferred of players was finally allowed, it was carried through a special department of the Football Federation of the Soviet Union and a Soviet club was receiving only portion of the transfer money for its player. According to Tsyhanyk the administration of Dynamo along with the Football Federation of Ukraine, members of which were former players of the club saw an opportunity to gain financial support by fielding Ukrainian club which had a high ranking in the UEFA Champions League.

In October 1991 some Moscow press took a big interview from FC Dnipro head coach Yevhen Kucherevsky titled "How to live on?" His direct speech had started with a phrase "Dnipro is definitely for the Soviet championship".[26] Next Yevhen Mefodiyich told about possible isolation of Ukrainian football, because if Ukraine would not be recognized by the World, there is nothing to think about membership in FIFA or UEFA.[26] After that recalling some kind of World Basket League, Kucherevsky discussed the topic that "people are uniting, but we..."[26] When questioned "what is the mood among coaches of other Ukrainian teams", he firmly answered "Almost all are for the united championship and against separate Ukrainian".[26]

In particular, Kucherevsky mentioned his talks with head coach of Shakhtar Valeriy Yaremchenko.[26] According to Kucherevsky, the majority of Dnipro's fans, judging by their letters and telephone calls also consider that conducting of Ukrainian championship not in time.[26] Ended his interview Kucherevsky with a phrase that "he wants to hope that the situation when they have to play in a separate championship will never come".[26] The coach even allowed the thought that Ukraine could be recognized as an independent state, but proposes an idea of the "Soviet open championship", referring to... the case with NHL.[26]

In general, Kucherevsky was speaking of true situation.[26] Among all Ukrainian teams of the Soviet Top League, only Dynamo was clearly and firmly for its own independent championship. Other clubs took position from "strongly against" to "possibly for, but".[26] For example, Metalurh Zaporizhya that was playing its first season at such level was for the Soviet championship.[26] Yet, Metalist that was struggling to stay in, took a tricky position: "If we are would relegate to the First Union League, we will be for Ukrainian championship, if we would stay at the top, we will be for Soviet championship".[26]

In September 1991 there took place a session of the Football Federation of the Ukrainian SSR Executive Committee (ispolkom), which started with raising of blue-and-yellow flag that was given by a member of parliament Vyacheslav Chornovil.[27] On proposition of Viktor Bannikov who at time was heading the football federation, the struggle for independent championship had to take place under national colors.[27] The executive committee decided that blue-and-yellow flags had to flown over all stadiums where were playing Ukrainian teams.[27] Some members of the executive committee have spoken about the independent Ukrainian championship, but did not rush with a decision.[27] For that it was decided to wait until the Federation's plenum on 13–14 December 1991.[27]

Vyshcha Liha and Professional Football League (1992–1999)

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the inaugural independent championship took place hastily at the start of spring 1992 after the creation of the Ukrainian Higher League (Ukrainian: Вища Ліга, Vyshcha Liha). The League was created out of the six teams that took part in the Soviet Top League, two teams from the Soviet First League, and nine out of the eleven Ukrainian teams from the Soviet Second League. The other two of that eleven were placed in the Ukrainian First League as they were to be relegated anyway. The two best teams of the Soviet Second League B of the Ukrainian Zone were also placed in the Higher League along with the winner of the 1991 Ukrainian Cup which finished ninth in the same group (Soviet Second League B).

The 20 participants were split into two groups with the winners playing for the championship title and the runners-up playing for third place. Three teams from each group were to be relegated. As expected, the five favorites, Dynamo Kyiv, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, Shakhtar Donetsk, Chornomorets Odesa, and Metalist Kharkiv finished at the top of each group. In the championship play-off game in Lviv, a sensation took place as Tavriya Simferopol beat Dynamo Kyiv 1–0. The Crimeans earned the first Ukrainian title (thus far their only one), losing only once to Temp Shepetivka.

After being stunned in the first championship by the tragedy in Lviv, Dynamo Kyiv were anxious to earn their first title at the second opportunity. In the second Ukrainian championship, which had a regular League format of 16 teams, the main rivals of the Kyivians were Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, who were top after the first half of the season. By the end of the season both teams were neck and neck and at the end they finished with the same number of points. The championship title was awarded to Dynamo Kyiv as they had a better goal difference. Neither the Golden match, nor the fact that Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk had a better head-to-head record was considered.

The next seven years were known as the total domination of Dynamo Kyiv. During this period 'the main Soviet protagonists' had changed as some of the best teams were facing a crisis. After the 1993–94 season Metalist Kharkiv were surprisingly relegated to the First League. In the 1995–96 season Shakhtar Donetsk had the worst year in the club's history, coming tenth. Chornomorets Odesa were relegated twice during that first decade after which manager Leonid Buryak was sacked. A few newly created teams have since emerged such as Arsenal Kyiv and Metalurh Donetsk, as well as Vorskla Poltava, who surprisingly came third in the club's first season at the Top Level in the 1997.

Dynamo–Shakhtar rivalry and Premier League (2000–2010)

See also: Ukrainian derby. The next decade was marked by fierce competition between Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk. Since 2000, Shakhtar Donetsk has proved to be the real challengers to Kyiv's dominance. In 2000 Shakhtar earned their first qualification to the Champions League earning a place in the Group stage. Nonetheless, Dynamo Kyiv is still considered to be the benchmark of excellence in the country and the primary feeder to the Ukraine national football team. 2002 became the real cornerstone in the miners history when they earned their first national title under the management of the newly appointed Italian specialist, Nevio Scala, who managed to secure the Ukrainian Cup title as well. Since that time the issue of foreign players has become particularly acute and brought a series of court cases. The FFU and PFL worked together to solve that issue, coming up with a plan to force the transitional limitation of foreign players over time.

The clubs such as Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Chornomorets Odesa, who were recent contenders for the title, had to put up a fierce fight against the newly established contenders Metalurh Donetsk and Metalist Kharkiv to qualify for the European competitions. Metalist Kharkiv shone brightly in the late 2000s (decade) by consistently finishing right behind Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk in third place. Their most remarkable feat was their participation in the 2009 European season when they had to face Dynamo Kyiv to earn a place in the quarter-finals of the 2008–09 UEFA Cup, but lost on the away goals rule. That same 2008–09 UEFA Cup competition was won for the first time by Shakhtar Donetsk, the first club of independent Ukraine to win the title. It was also the last UEFA cup title before it changed its name to the Europa league. In the 2008–09 season the league earned the highest UEFA league coefficient in Europe for that season.

On 15 November 2007 clubs' presidents of the Vyshcha Liha adopted a decision to create the Premier League (Premier Liha).[28] At the same meeting session there was created a supervisory board that consisted of Ravil Safiullin (Professional Football League), Vitaliy Danilov (FC Kharkiv), Petro Dyminskyi (FC Karpaty), and Vadym Rabinovych (FC Arsenal).[28] During the next three months that body curated a process on creation of the Premier League's regulation and statute as well as a procedure of launching the championship starting from the 2008–09 season.[28] On 15 April 2008 at one of the meetings among the presidents of clubs there was signed a protocol about establishing the Association of Professional Football Clubs of Ukraine "Premier-Liha"[28] as an autonomous entity, parting away from the PFL.

The Premier League has been split since the moment it was created in regards to its president. The dispute went as far as even canceling the 13th round of 2009–10 season and moving it to the spring half, while having the 14th round still playing in the fall. The representatives of five clubs: Arsenal Kyiv, Dynamo Kyiv, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, and Metalist Kharkiv have been boycotting most of the League meetings, not complying with its financial obligations and giving the broadcasting rights to TV-channels other than the League official supplier. They justified their actions due to what they deem to be the illegal election of the Premier League president. The representatives of the above-mentioned clubs did not recognize the election in 2008 of Vitaliy Danilov as the president and believed that the elections should have been won by Vadim Rabinovich.

To resolve this conflict Vitaliy Danilov instigated the re-election of the Premier League president in September 2009, and on 1 December 2009 won the election again with 11 clubs voting for his candidature, 3 were against, 1 abstained, and 1 was absent. This time most club presidents of the Premier League of Ukraine acknowledged Vitaliy Danilov legality. In the subsequent elections on 9 December 2011 Vitaliy Danilov was challenged by Andriy Kurhanskyi (through the proposal of Karpaty Lviv). The other available candidates, Miletiy Balchos (president of the Professional Football League of Ukraine) and Yuriy Kindzerskyi, were not picked by any members of the Premier League. Vitaliy Danilov managed to retain his seat with nine votes for him.

Big Four and two-round league (2011–present)

Results of the 'Big Four' during the late 2000s–early 2010s
Season
6 2 5 1
4 1 3 2
4 2 3 1
6 1 3 2
4 2 3 1
4 2 3 1
4 2 3 1
4 3 2 1
2 4 3 1
3 1 6 2
8 10 8 10
Finishes out of 10
League champions
Champions League
UEFA Cup / Europa League group stage
UEFA Cup / Europa League qualification
UEFA Intertoto Cup

Starting from 2010 and to 2014 season, FC Shakhtar led by Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu obtained five national league titles in a row, making Lucescu the most successful manager in the history of the league with 9 titles. At the same time, in the beginning of the 2010s the so-called "Big Four" of clubs eventually formed, consisting from Shakhtar, Dynamo, Metalist and Dnipro.[29] These four clubs consecutively took all the top 4 places for five seasons from 2009–10 to 2013–14 and displayed the biggest financial abilities in the league.[30]

In 2012–13, Metalist Kharkiv finished second and qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time, the achievement which was repeated by Dnipro in the next season. In the same 2013–14 season Dynamo Kyiv for the first time since Ukrainian independence placed as low as fourth in league's season ranking, which led to dismissal of former national team coach and the legend of Soviet football Oleh Blokhin as the club's manager. In European football, new club achievements were set in these years for Shakhtar in 2010–11 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals and for Metalist in 2011–12 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.

On account of the Russo-Ukrainian War and subsequent cleaning of the league from the clubs that became financially unreliable (Metalist, Hoverla, Metalurh Donetsk, Dnipro), the number of teams participating in the league was cut from 16 in the 2013–14 season to 14 in the following two seasons.[31] Both of the seasons were won by Dynamo Kyiv with Serhii Rebrov as manager. With the continuation of the military conflict in the eastern oblasts of Ukraine since 2014 and its economic impact, the league was forced to change its format again and started to be contested by 12 teams after being cut from 14 after the 2015–16 season, introducing the two stages of the competition: after the standard two rounds of games the league would split into two 6-team groups according to their positions.

Under the new format, Shakhtar Donetsk under the manager Paulo Fonseca managed to win three league titles in a row from 2016–17 to 2018–19, runner-up in all the three seasons being Dynamo Kyiv. In 2019–20 season, Shakhtar set the record of the earliest title win in the history, win 5 rounds remaining.[32] In 2019, the decision was adopted to expand the league to 14 teams from the 2020–21 and to 16 teams from the 2021–22 season.[33] In April 2022, it was announced that the current UPL season has been terminated due to the extension of martial law in Ukraine.[34] The football clubs of the UPL also expressed their support for the termination, since it is not possible to end the championship due to the country's current state. Thus, it was concluded that the standings as of February 24, 2022 will be the final standings of the 2021/22 season, and there will be no winners to be awarded.

Officials

Presidents

Directors

Competitions

Clubs

A total of 47 clubs have played in the Premier League up to 2023–24 season.

The following clubs competed in the 2023–24 season. Note in parentheses shows the actual home cities and stadiums.

ClubHome cityStadiumCapacityPosition in
2022–23
First season
in PL
Seasons
in PL
Chornomorets OdesaOdesaStadion Chornomorets34,1649th199226
Dnipro-1Stadion Avanhard12,0002nd2019–204
Dynamo KyivaKyivOlimpiyskiy National Sports Complex70,0504th199232
Kolos KovalivkaKovalivkaStadion Kolos5,0008th2019–204
Kryvbas Kryvyi RihKryvyi RihStadion Hirnyk2,5007th1992–9322
LNZ CherkasyCherkasyCherkasy Arena10,321FL

3rd

debut
Metalist 1925 KharkivOlimpiyskiy National Sports Complex70,050122021–222
MynaiMynai Arena1,31210th2020–213
Obolon KyivKyivObolon Arena5,100FL

2nd

debut
OleksandriyaCSC Nika Stadium7,0006th2001–0211
Polissia ZhytomyrZhytomyrTsentralnyi Stadion5,928FL

1st

debut
Rukh LvivLvivArena Lviv34,91511th2020–213
Shakhtar DonetskaOlimpiyskiy National Sports Complex70,0501st199232
Veres RivneRivneStadion Avanhard4,65013th1992–936
Vorskla PoltavaPoltavaStadion Vorskla imeni Butovskoho24,7955th1996–9727
Zorya LuhanskStadion Dynamo16,8733rd199222
a: Team played in every Ukrainian top flight season

Maps

Broadcasting

The UPL broadcaster in the 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons is Setanta Sports. All matches are broadcast on the OTT platform. Also, at least 4 matches of the tour are broadcast on the company's linear TV channels, and 1-2 matches of the tour are broadcast free of charge on the Setanta YouTube channel.

International broadcasters

The main international broadcaster of the league in west Europe and some countries of Africa is the French Ma Chaîne Sport providing coverage for such countries like France, and satellite communities in Andorra, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia. Another broadcaster Sport Klub provides coverage in all countries of former Yugoslavia including Bosnia/Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia. National broadcasters of some other counties include 12 TV (Armenia), CBC Sport (Azerbaijan), Polsat Futbol (Poland), Futbol (Russia), and Dolce Sport (Romania).

UEFA ranking and European competitions

See also: Ukrainian football clubs in European competitions. Ukrainian clubs being part of the Soviet Union competed in European competitions since the 1960s when the Soviet clubs started to participate in continental competitions. In fact the first Soviet club that took part in European competitions was Ukrainian club, FC Dynamo Kyiv, that took in the 1965–66 European Cup Winners' Cup. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, the following Ukrainian clubs participated in European competitions: FC Dynamo Kyiv (1965), FC Karpaty Lviv (1970), FC Zorya Luhansk (1973), FC Chornomorets Odesa (1975), FC Shakhtar Donetsk (1977), FC Dnipro (1984), and FC Metalist Kharkiv (1988).

At least five clubs participated in top continental competitions the European Cup and the UEFA Champions League among which are FC Dynamo Kyiv, FC Dnipro, FC Metalist Kharkiv, FC Shakhtar Donetsk, and SC Tavriya Simferopol.

Two teams (Dynamo and Shakhtar) were able to obtain trophies of European competitions including two European Cup Winners' Cups, one European Super Cup, and one UEFA Cup. One more team (Dnipro) came just short to join their company losing in the 2015 UEFA Europa League Final.

Ukrainian Premier League and European Super League

In 2023 talks about creation of the European Super League resurfaced with a decision of the European Court of Justice on 21 December 2023.

Number of Ukrainian football clubs came out with official statements on that matter.

International relations

In 2009 The Ukrainian Premier League joined the European Professional Football Leagues.[46] Also in 2009 the league signed a partnership with IMG of which during the first month of cooperation sold broadcasting rights for the Ukrainian Cup to Poland and Armenia. On its own initiative the Ukrainian Premier League sold broadcasting rights to Romania and Russia as well.

Results by season

See main article: List of Ukrainian football champions.

Higher League (Vyshcha Liha)

SeasonChampionRunner-upThird placeTop goalscorerRank
1992Tavriya SimferopolDynamo KyivDnipro Dnipropetrovsk Yuriy Hudymenko (Tavriya Simferopol, 12 goals)N/A
1992–93Dynamo KyivDnipro DnipropetrovskChornomorets Odesa Serhiy Husyev (Chornomorets Odesa, 17 goals)28/39
1993–94Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskChornomorets Odesa Tymerlan Huseinov (Chornomorets Odesa, 18 goals)24/44
1994–95Dynamo KyivChornomorets OdesaDnipro Dnipropetrovsk Arsen Avakov (Torpedo Zaporizhzhia, 21 goals)24/47
1995–96Dynamo KyivChornomorets OdesaDnipro Dnipropetrovsk Tymerlan Huseinov (Chornomorets Odesa, 20 goals)19/48
1996–97Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskVorskla Poltava Oleh Matveyev (Shakhtar Donetsk, 21 goals)22/48
1997–98Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskKarpaty Lviv Serhii Rebrov (Dynamo Kyiv, 22 goals)17/49
1998–99Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskKryvbas Kryvyi Rih Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv, 18 goals)15/50
1999–00Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskKryvbas Kryvyi Rih Maksim Shatskikh (Dynamo Kyiv, 20 goals)12/50
2000–01Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskDnipro Dnipropetrovsk Andriy Vorobey (Shakhtar Donetsk, 21 goals)13/51
2001–02Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivMetalurh Donetsk Serhiy Shyshchenko (Metalurh Donetsk, 12 goals)13/51
2002–03Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskMetalurh Donetsk Maksim Shatskikh (Dynamo Kyiv, 22 goals)14/52
2003–04Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskDnipro Dnipropetrovsk Giorgi Demetradze (Metalurh Donetsk, 18 goals)14/52
2004–05Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivMetalurh Donetsk Oleksandr Kosyrin (Chornomorets Odesa, 14 goals)15/52
2005–06Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivChornomorets Odesa Brandão (Shakhtar Donetsk, 15 goals)
Emmanuel Okoduwa (Arsenal Kyiv, 15 goals)
13/52
2006–07Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskMetalist Kharkiv Oleksandr Hladkyi (FC Kharkiv, 13 goals)11/52
2007–08Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivBronze stripped * Marko Dević* (Metalist Kharkiv, 19 goals)12/53

Premier League

SeasonChampionRunner-upThird placeTop goalscorerRank
2008–09Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskMetalist Kharkiv Oleksandr Kovpak (Tavriya Simferopol, 17 goals)7/53
2009–10Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivMetalist Kharkiv Artem Milevskyi (Dynamo Kyiv, 17 goals)7/53
2010–11Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivMetalist Kharkiv Yevhen Seleznyov (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, 17 goals)8/53
2011–12Shakhtar DonetskMetalist Kharkiv Yevhen Seleznyov (Shakhtar Donetsk, 14 goals)
Maicon (Volyn Lutsk, 14 goals)
9/53
2012–13Shakhtar DonetskMetalist KharkivDynamo Kyiv Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Shakhtar Donetsk, 25 goals)7/53
2013–14Shakhtar DonetskDnipro DnipropetrovskMetalist Kharkiv Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk, 20 goals)9/53
2014–15Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskDnipro Dnipropetrovsk Alex Teixeira (Shakhtar Donetsk, 17 goals)
Eric Bicfalvi (Volyn Lutsk, 17 goals)
8/54
2015–16Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskDnipro Dnipropetrovsk Alex Teixeira (Shakhtar Donetsk, 22 goals)
8/54
2016–17Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivZorya Luhansk Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kyiv, 15 goals)8/55
2017–18Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivVorskla Poltava Facundo Ferreyra (Shakhtar Donetsk, 21 goal)8/55
2018–19Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivOleksandriya Júnior Moraes (Shakhtar Donetsk, 19 goals)9/55
2019–20Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivZorya Luhansk Júnior Moraes (Shakhtar Donetsk, 20 goals)10/55
2020–21Dynamo KyivShakhtar DonetskZorya Luhansk Vladyslav Kulach (Vorskla Poltava, 15 goals)12/55
2021–22Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivZorya Luhansk Artem Dovbyk (SC Dnipro-1, 14 goals)13/55
2022–23Shakhtar DonetskSC Dnipro-1Zorya Luhansk Artem Dovbyk (SC Dnipro-1, 24 goals)14/55
2023–24Shakhtar DonetskDynamo KyivKryvbas Kryvyi Rih Vladyslav Vanat (Dynamo Kyiv, 14 goals)18/55
Notes:

Performance by club

ClubWinnersRunners-upThird placeWinning years
Dynamo Kyiv161311992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2020–21
Shakhtar Donetsk15132001–02, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2022–23, 2023–24
Tavriya Simferopol11992
Dnipro27
Chornomorets Odesa23
Metalist Kharkiv16
Dnipro-11
Zorya Luhansk4
Metalurh Donetsk3
Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih3
Vorskla Poltava2
Karpaty Lviv1
Oleksandriya1
Total 32 32 31
Notes:

Honored teams

A representative star is placed above the team's badge to indicate 10 league titles.[49] Dynamo Kyiv became the first Ukrainian team to achieve the prestigious honor of winning the Soviet Top League for the 10th time in 1981. Dynamo Kyiv after having entered the Ukrainian championship has become the same dominant leader as during the Soviet times by earning its 20th national title at the top level in 1999. The two stars were added to the club's logo in 2007.[50] Earning its 10th national title in 2017, Shakhtar Donetsk has not yet adopted a star on its crest.

Currently (as of 2023) the following clubs earned the star element to be added to their crest.

Prestige trophy

From 2016–17 to 2019–20 seasons, the league conducted season competition in two rounds, where after the first double round robin tournament the league is split in half into two groups of six teams. Then, top six play second double round robin for the title, while the bottom six play to determine teams to be relegated (and Europa League playoff participants in the 2019–20 season). The team that won the relegation group receives a consolation-type honorary award, the Prestige trophy.[51]

SeasonPrestige trophy
2016–17Vorskla Poltava
2017–18FC Oleksandriya
2018–19Vorskla Poltava
2019–20SC Dnipro-1

Premier League players

Ex-Dynamo Kyiv strikers Maksim Shatskikh and Serhii Rebrov hold the record for most Ukrainian Premier League goals with 123, with Shatskikh winning the top single season scorer title twice in 1999–2000 and 2002–03, Rebrov once in 1997–98.Since the first Ukrainian Premier League season in 1992, 22 different players have won or shared the top scorer's title. Only five players have won the title more than once, Tymerlan Huseynov, Maksim Shatskikh, Yevhen Seleznyov, Alex Teixeira and Júnior Moraes.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan holds the record for most goals in a season (25), Serhii Rebrov and Maksim Shatskikh are the only two players to score at least 20 goals twice. The most prolific all-time scorers are Ivan Hetsko and Viktor Leonenko, respectively attaining 0.59 and 0.57 goals per game.

All-time Premier League appearance leaders
PlayerGamesYears
Oleksandr Shovkovskyi4261994–2017
Oleh Shelayev4121994–2014
Vyacheslav Checher4101994–2017
Oleksandr Chizhevskiy4001992–2006, 2008, 2010
Oleksandr Horyainov3911994–2015
Ruslan Rotan3752000–2018
Serhiy Nazarenko3732000, 2002–2017
Serhiy Shyshchenko3631993–2010
Ruslan Kostyshyn3591997–2012
Oleksandr Hladkyi3592005–2023
Serhiy Zakarlyuka3561994, 1997–2012
11 Oleksandr Hrytsai3542000–2015
12 Volodymyr Chesnakov3532008–
13 Oleksandr Zotov3511995–2010
14 Taras Stepanenko3502007–
Players in bold are still playing in Premier League
Data as of 14 November 2023[52] [53]
All-time Premier League scorers
PlayerGoalsGamesYears
Maksim Shatskikh1243412000–2015
Serhii Rebrov1232611992–2000, 2006–2008
Yevhen Seleznyov1172572007–2017, 2020–2023
Andriy Vorobey1053151998–2013
Júnior Moraes1031892013–2022
Andriy Yarmolenko1032342008–2018, 2023–
Oleksandr Hladkyy993592005–2018, 2020–2023
Oleksandr Haydash952591993–2004
Marko Dević902192005–2014
Serhiy Mizin903421993–2008<--
Tymerlan Huseynov852151992–1998, 2000
Oleksandr Kosyrin842411996–1998, 2000–2010, 2013
Andriy Shevchenko831721995–1999, 2010–2012
Oleh Matveyev812101992–2003
Oleksandr Palyanytsia792601992–2003-->
Players in bold are still playing in Premier League
Data as of 21 December 2023[54] [55]
All-time Premier League goalkeepers
Player GamesTotal GamesYears
Oleksandr Shovkovskyi2334261994–2017
Andriy Pyatov1743442003–2023
Oleksandr Horyainov1513911994–2015
Vitaliy Reva1283411996–2014
Dmytro Shutkov1222661992–2008
Serhiy Dolhanskyi963281993–2013
Ihor Shukhovtsev943491992–2013
Mykola Medin912051993–2006
Vyacheslav Kernozenko861951997–2010
Yuriy Pankiv2682012–2023<--
Denys Boiko841902000–
Yuriy Virt821821998–2007
Andriy Nikitin2441992–2007
Bohdan Strontsitskyi801981993–2003
Andriy Kovtun751841994–2002-->
Players in bold are still playing in Premier League
Data as of 4 January 2024[56]

Premier League managers

The league's record holder for winnings is Mircea Lucescu.

+ Winning managers
ManagerClub(s)WinsWinning years
Mircea LucescuShakhtar Donetsk
Dynamo Kyiv
92004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2020–21
Valery LobanovskyDynamo Kyiv51996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01
Paulo FonsecaShakhtar Donetsk32016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
Yozhef SaboDynamo Kyiv21993–94, 1995–96
Oleksiy Mykhailychenko2002–03, 2003–04
Serhii Rebrov2014–15, 2015–16
Anatoliy ZayaevTavriya Simferopol11992
Mykhailo FomenkoDynamo Kyiv1992–93
Mykola Pavlov1994–95
Nevio ScalaShakhtar Donetsk2001–02
Anatoliy DemyanenkoDynamo Kyiv2005–06
Yuri Semin2008–09
Luis CastroShakhtar Donetsk2019–20
Igor Jovićević2022–23
Marino Pušić2023–24

The league's record holder for games in the league is Myron Markevych.

All-time top-10 managers with league games
RankCoachGamesFirstLast
1 Myron Markevych6227 March 199215 May 2016
2 Mykola Pavlov5497 March 199230 May 2015
3 Mircea Lucescu43222 May 20043 November 2023
4 Vitaliy Kvartsyanyi34023 September 199431 May 2017
5 Valeriy Yaremchenko2977 March 19922 October 2011
6 Mykhailo Fomenko29313 March 199327 September 2008
7 Oleh Taran2739 July 19971 November 2014
8 Yuriy Vernydub2663 December 2011
9 Volodymyr Sharan26529 September 200710 November 2023
10 Semen Altman2577 August 199910 May 2012
11 Vyacheslav Hrozny2237 March 19928 December 2018
12 Oleksandr Ishchenko20525 July 199530 August 2008
13 Volodymyr Bezsonov19722 March 199818 September 2010
14 Yuriy Maksymov19119 July 2009
15 Anatoliy Zayaev1897 March 19922 September 2012
Coaches in bold are still active in the League
Data as of 8 January 2024[57] [58]
+ Current managers (2023–24 season)
Nat.NameClubAppointedTime as manager
(caretaker)
(caretaker)

All-time participants

The table lists the place each team took in each of the seasons.

Vyshcha Liha era (1992–2008)

Season 199292/9393/9494/9595/9696/9797/9898/9999/0000/0101/0202/0303/0404/0505/0606/0707/08
Teams2016181818161616161414161616161616
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccCSKA Kyiv–Arsenal Kyiv    4111071061259912146
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccBorysfen Boryspil            716   
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDBukovyna Chernivtsi101217              
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Chornomorets Odesa533bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2715 15  856367
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffcccc3bgcolor=silver243344121136434644
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Dynamo Kyivbgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver2
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccHoverla Uzhhorod          14  1216 16
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDKarpaty Lviv1365885349108715  810
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccKharkiv              131214
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDKremin Kremenchuk1491510915           
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih 8661412833119121013141013
align=LEFT bgcolor="#ffCCCC"Mariupol      14584101085415 
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDMetalist Kharkiv6518    659516 1153(3)*
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccMetalurh Donetsk      6147533439912
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDMetalurh Zaporizhya1171695898684151110879
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffCCCCMykolaiv18  1316  16         
align=LEFT bgcolor=lightgreyNaftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka16               15
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDNyva Ternopil7147121397131214       
align=LEFT bgcolor=khakiNyva Vinnytsia15 10141516           
align=LEFT bgcolor="#D0F0C0"Obolon Kyiv           14615   
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccOdesa20                
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Oleksandriya          1313     
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccPrykarpattya Ivano-Frankivsk17  111113131514        
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Shakhtar Donetsk44bgcolor=silver2410bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccStal Alchevsk         13    1116 
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffCCCCTavriya Simferopolbgcolor=gold1108512612913779127755
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccTemp Shepetivka19 917             
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccTorpedo Zaporizhzhia81313771416          
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Veres Rivne 161118             
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffCCCCVolyn Lutsk911121517      613815  
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Vorskla Poltava     35104121111141410138
align=LEFT bgcolor=lightgreyZirka Kropyvnytskyi    610111116   16    
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Zorya Luhansk1215141618          1111

Premier League era (2008–present)

Season 08/0909/1010/1111/1212/1313/1414/1515/1616/1717/1818/1919/2020/2121/2222/2323/24
Teams16161616161614141212121214161616
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccArsenal Kyiv11795816    12     
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Chornomorets Odesa1015 965111161111  139
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccDesna Chernihiv          8467  
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffcccc64444bgcolor=silver23311       
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0           773bgcolor=silver2
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Dynamo Kyivbgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver234bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver24
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccHoverla Uzhhorod 16  15121213        
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDInhulets Petrove            121414 
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDKarpaty Lviv9551414111371081012    
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccKharkiv16               
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0           6488
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0KryvbasKryvbas (2020)121413107         7
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0LNZ Cherkasy               
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDLviv15         61181216 
align=LEFT bgcolor="#ffCCCC"Mariupol1412141191014  5481116  
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDMetalist Kharkiv3333bgcolor=silver23610      15 
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Metalist 1925 Kharkiv             1012
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccMetalurh Donetsk48875610         
align=LEFT bgcolor=#C1DDFDMetalurh Zaporizhya7916 1614714        
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Mynai            141510
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Obolon Kyiv–Obolon (2013) 111015           
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Oleksandriya   16   65735966
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffCCCCOlimpik Donetsk     895499913   
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Polissia Zhytomyr               
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Rukh Lviv            101111
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccSevastopol  15  9          
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Shakhtar Donetskbgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=silver2bgcolor=gold1bgcolor=gold1
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffccccStal Kamianske       8812      
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffCCCCTavriya Simferopol86761115          
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Veres Rivne         6   913
align=LEFT bgcolor=#ffCCCCVolyn Lutsk  1112131391212       
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Vorskla Poltava510681285573710555
align=LEFT bgcolor=lightgreyZirka Kropyvnytskyi        910      
align=LEFT bgcolor=#D0F0C0Zorya Luhansk13131213107443453343

Teams marking (as of 2023–24):

Competing in UPL (1st tier)
Competing in PFL (2nd tier)
Competing in PFL (3rd tier)
Competing in AAFU (4th tier)
Competing in regional championships (below 4th tier)
Defunct clubs

All-time table

All figures are correct through the 2023–24 season.[59] [60] [61] Promotion/relegation playoff games are not included. Teams in bold currently compete in Premier League. Numbers in bold indicate the record values for each column.

RankTeamSeasonsPWDLGFGAGDPtsAchievementFirst seasonLast season
1Dynamo Kyiv339667021621022073649+14242268bgcolor=gold19922024/25
2Shakhtar Donetsk339666881761242062709+13132200bgcolor=gold19922024/25
3align=left bgcolor=#ffccccFC Dnipro267653791991871127718+4091336bgcolor=silver19922016/17
4Vorskla Poltava28814282216316889972−8310621996/972024/25
5Chornomorets Odesa27793288193312888962−741057bgcolor=silver19922024/25
6align=left bgcolor=#ffccccKarpaty Lviv278002552273188721003−13199219922019/20
7align=left Metalist Kharkiv21603259151193782722+60928bgcolor=silver19922022/23
8align=left bgcolor=#ffccccTavriya Simferopol23681237170274795873−78881bgcolor=gold19922013/14
9Kryvbas/Kryvbas23694230184280710846−1368741992/932024/25
10Zorya Luhansk23640232140268759884−12583619922024/25
11align=left bgcolor=#ffccccMetalurh Zaporizhya24702206173323699949−25079119922015/16
12align=left bgcolor=#ffccccMetalurh Donetsk18526203142181655623+327511997/982014/15
13align=left bgcolor=#ffccccFC Mariupol22638197153288715932−2177441997/982021/22
14align=left bgcolor=#ffccccArsenal Kyiv19568191156221654675−217291995/962013/14
15align=left bgcolor=#ffccccVolyn Lutsk16472140102230473710−23751919922016/17
16FC Oleksandriya12345107106132384452−684272001/022024/25
17Nyva Ternopil102969362141319388−6934119922000/01
18align=left bgcolor=#ffccccZirka Kropyvnytskyi82486258128209368−1592441995/962017/18
19align=left bgcolor=#ffccccSC Dnipro-15137712541215155+60238bgcolor=silver2019/202023/24
20align=left bgcolor=#ffccccTorpedo Zaporizhzhia72106442104214315−10123419921997/98
21Veres Rivne7208546193198282−842231992/932024/25
22align=left bgcolor=#ffccccOlimpik Donetsk7206565595210324−1142232014/152020/21
23align=left bgcolor=#ffccccPrykarpattya Ivano-Frankivsk7206555299215315−10021719921999/00
24Kremin Kremenchuk6180544086182269−8720219921996/97
25align=left bgcolor=#ffccccHoverla Uzhhorod92564164151186421−2351872001/022015/16
26align=left bgcolor=#ffccccObolon Kyiv6180444492153253−1001762002/032011/12
27Kolos Kovalivka5138463359133176−431712019/202024/25
28align=left bgcolor=#ffccccDesna Chernihiv4108462240154133+211602018/192021/22
29Nyva Vinnytsia5150423276140213−7315819921996/97
30align=left bgcolor=#ffccccFC Lviv6168344193131269−1381432008/092022/23
31Rukh Lviv4103294034118128−101272020/212024/25
32align=left bgcolor=#ffccccFC Kharkiv412025336294156−621082005/062008/09
33align=left bgcolor=#ffccccSC Mykolaiv4116262367100208−10810119921998/99
34align=left bgcolor=#ffccccStal Kamianske39024244272106−34962015/162017/18
35align=left bgcolor=#ffccccTemp Shepetivka38624164679113−348819921994/95
36Bukovyna Chernivtsi3822318416999−308719921993/94
37FC Mynai410418325477160−83862020/212023/24
38Metalist 1925 Kharkiv37817233872128−56742021/222023/24
39align=left bgcolor=#ffccccStal Alchevsk38617214867126−59722000/012006/07
40Inhulets Petrove3731622355981−22702020/212024/25
41align=left bgcolor=#ffccccFC Sevastopol2581711305891−33622010/112013/14
42align=left bgcolor=#ffccccBorysfen Boryspil2601419274060−20612003/042004/05
43Polissia Zhytomyr13014883930+9502023/242024/25
44align=left bgcolor=#ffccccNaftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka2481111263066−364419922007/08
45LNZ Cherkasy130118113134−3412023/242024/25
46Obolon Kyiv130511141841−23262023/242024/25
47align=left bgcolor=#ffccccSC Odesa11831141532−17101992
48Karpaty Lvivdebut2024/25
List of bankrupt clubs
ClubNotes
FC Dnipro (formerly Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk)soon after playing at the 2015 UEFA Europa League Final, the club was forced into relegation due to ignoring the FIFA sanctions and eventually its first team was dissolved
FC Metalist Kharkivdenied license due to heavy debts[62]
FC Hoverla Uzhhoroddenied license due to heavy debts[63]
FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rihdenied license for failure to provide evidence of stable financial support[64]
FC Kharkivdenied license for giving false documentation about financial condition in the club[65]
FC Arsenal Kyivclub was not able to finish the 2013–14 season[66]
FC Arsenal-Kyiv Kyivis considered a direct successor of Arsenal Kyiv (2001–2013) soon after relegation in 2019 it announced about liquidation of its first team[67]
FC Karpaty Lvivwas not able to finish the 2019–20 and announced that it is a bankrupt, but allowed to keep professional status and restart at the third tier. In 2020 it was split and original club following 2020–21 was dissolved, while the newly formed was admitted to the third tier from amateurs.
SC Tavriya Simferopolplaying since 1958, the club became liquidated in 2014 by the Russian authorities following occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. In 2016 it was revived based out of neighboring Kherson Oblast and playing in lower tiers until the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.
FC Metalurh Zaporizhiaduring the 2015–16 season on 2 March 2016, Metalurh was recognized as bankrupt on decision of the commercial court of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and a liquidation procedure was initiated.[68]
FC Metalurh Donetskwas merged with FC Stal Dniprodzerzhynsk in 2015, due to hardship caused by the 2014 Russian aggression against Ukraine
FC Mariupolin connection with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia and occupation of the city of Mariupol as well as financial inability of to keep the club, on 27 April 2022 it was announced that the club withdraws from national competitions and dissolves.

List of the UPL recognized successions

Other internationally recognized successions

Heritage claims

Heritage denials

Administrative promotion/relegation

Post-season play-offs

There were several instances when the games outside of regular double round-robin tournament and split group seasons were scheduled or required. They were held either for determining the league position (golden and third place matches), international competitions qualification (Europa League play-off) or promotion or relegation (relegation play-off).

Golden matches

League finals for Premier League took place on two occasions. In the inaugural 1992 season, the league was conducted in two groups of 10 teams due to transition to the autumn-spring competition calendar. The teams in each group played a double round-robin tournament, after which the winners of both groups faced each other in the one-match league final at neutral field. The final was played on 21 June 1992, crowning Tavriya Simferopol as the first champions of independent Ukraine after their 1–0 win over Dynamo Kyiv.

Starting from the 2005–06 season, if multiple teams finish tied on points on the top of the table, Golden match is required to determine the champion. In the same season, this rule came into effect for the first and only to the moment time: Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv both finished with 75 points after the regular season. In the following final game, Shakhtar managed to win the title after the 100th-minute goal from Julius Aghahowa which concluded their 2–1 extra-time win.

width=8%Seasonwidth=20%Winnerwidth=10%Resultwidth=20%Runner-upwidth=28%Venuewidth=14%Date
1992Tavriya Simferopol1–0Dynamo KyivUkraina Stadium, Lviv21 June 1992
2005–06Shakhtar Donetsk2–1 Dynamo KyivMetalurh Stadium, Kryvyi Rih14 May 2006

Third place matches

Similarly to the league final, in the inaugural 1992 season the third place match was played between the runners-up of both 10-team groups that formed the league in the season. In the game at neutral field, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk from Group B defeated Shakhtar Donetsk from Group A 3–2 and won their first bronze medals in the league.

width=8%Seasonwidth=20%Group A teamwidth=10%Resultwidth=20%Group B teamwidth=28%Venuewidth=14%Date
Shakhtar Donetsk2–3Dnipro DnipropetrovskMetalurh Central Stadium, Zaporizhzhia20 June 1992

Europa League play-offs

In the 2019–20 season, play-offs for qualification to the UEFA Europa League are played for the first time between the 5th and 6th teams from the Championship round and two top teams from the Relegation round (7th and 8th). The play-off consists of the semi-final and final stages, with ties in both played as single matches on the field of the team ranked higher in the season standings.

width=8%Seasonwidth=20%Home teamwidth=10%Resultwidth=20%Away teamwidth=28%Venuewidth=14%Date
2019–20Semi-finals
FC Oleksandriya1–2FC MariupolCSC Nika Stadium, Oleksandriya25 July 2020
Kolos Kovalivka4–1Dnipro-1NSC Olimpiyskiy, Kyiv25 July 2020
Final
Kolos Kovalivka1–0 FC MariupolNSC Olimpiyskiy, Kyiv29 July 2020

Relegation play-offs

For the first tome, play-off to determine the participant of the next Vyshcha Liha season was held unplanned at the end of the 1998–99 season. Third-placed team of 1998–99 First League, Torpedo Zaporizhzhia, who was to be promoted, filed for bankruptcy at the end of the season. The league regulations at the time did not specify what actions are needed to be taken in such situation, so PFL made a decision to held a play-off game between the highest-ranked relegated team, Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk, and highest-ranked not promoted team, FC Cherkasy at neutral field in Kyiv. The game ended with Prykarpattia defending their league place 3–1.[69] [70]

In the 2001–02 season, due to league enlargement play-off was held between the second-lowest Vyshcha Liha team, Polihraftekhnika Oleksandriya, and fourth First League team, Polissya Zhytomyr. The game on a neutral field in Kyiv ended 1–0 in favour of Oleksandriya.

Since 2017–18 season, the play-offs are held in home-and-away format between the 10th and 11th teams from Premier League, and 2nd and 3rd from First League. During this time, 3 teams were promoted by play-offs, and another 1 managed to defend its place. However, in the 2019–20 season and 2020–21 season there were no playoffs because of the league enlargement and three teams were promoted from First League directly.[71] In the 2021–22 season play-offs were not conducted as championship ceased halfway due to the 2022 Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

width=8%Seasonwidth=20%Premier League teamwidth=10%Resultwidth=20%First League teamwidth=28%Venuewidth=14%Date
Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk3–1FC CherkasyDynamo Stadium, Kyiv4 July 1999
Polihraftekhnika Oleksandriya1–0Polissya ZhytomyrCSK ZSU Stadium, Kyiv16 June 2002
Zirka Kropyvnytskyi1–1
0–4
Desna ChernihivHome and away23 and 27 May 2018
Chornomorets Odesa1–0
0–3
FC Poltava
Karpaty Lviv0–0
3–0*
Volyn Lutsk4 and 8 June 2019
Chornomorets Odesa0–0
0–2
Kolos Kovalivka
Inhulets Petrove1–1
1–2
LNZ Cherkasy10 and 14 June 2023
Veres Rivne6–1
0–1
Metalurh Zaporizhzhia
Veres Rivne1–13–1Epitsentr Kamianets-Podilskyi29 May and 2 June 2024
Obolon Kyiv1–01–1Livyi Bereh Kyiv

Rivalries and city derbies

Klasychne derby

See also: Klasychne derby and List of sports derbies in Ukraine. The central feature of the league is a rivalry between Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv which has adopted its name as Klasychne derby. The rivalry started ever since the end of the 1990s when both teams started consistently to place the top two places from season to season. The rivalry became really established when Shakhtar obtained its first national title in 2002.

Other championship contenders

The surprising win of the first season by SC Tavriya Simferopol has never turned the club into a real contender for another title and the club was not always successful to secure a place among the top five. In the beginning of the 1990s, FC Chornomorets Odesa and the two-time Soviet champions FC Dnipro were also among the main contenders. The 1972 Soviet champions FC Zorya Luhansk until 2013 really struggled to stay in the top league. Among other contenders there were FC Metalist Kharkiv that were the league's runners-up in 2012–13 and FC Metalurh Donetsk that showed some consistent form in the early 2000s.

Other rivalries

There are few smaller regional rivalries such between Karpaty and Volyn, Metalist and Dnipro, Zorya and Shakhtar.

Among city derbies, there were no running city derbies in the league for the 2017–18 season. Among the most notable previously there were Zaporizhzhia derby between Metalurh and Torpedo, Kyiv derby between Dynamo and Arsenal (CSKA), Donetsk derby between Shakhtar and Metalurh. Other derbies existed in Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, West Ukrainian football derby and others.

Stadiums and attendance

Ukraine has several big stadiums with capacity of 30,000+ spectators and at least two stadiums with capacity of over 50,000 which also are considered to be by UEFA the elite stadiums. Since the 2014 Russian aggression against Ukraine, the access to some stadiums was restricted. Many stadiums in Ukraine and their surrounding infrastructure were renovated in preparation to the Euro 2012.

UEFA Elite Stadiums

StadiumCapacityCityClubOpened
1Olimpiysky National Sports Complex70,050KyivUkraine, Dynamo Kyiv1923, 2011
2Donbass Arena52,518DonetskShakhtar Donetsk2009

Other major stadiums

Among 30,000+ football stadiums or multi-use stadiums adopted for football are Arena Lviv, Chornomorets Stadium, Dnipro-Arena, Metalist Stadium and others.

Other UEFA 4-category stadiums in the league:

StadiumCapacityCityClubOpenedUEFA category
1Metalist Stadium40,003KharkivMetalist Kharkiv
Metalist 1925 Kharkiv
1926
2Arena Lviv34,915LvivLviv
Rukh Lviv
2011
3Chornomorets Stadium34,164OdesaChornomorets Odesa1935
4Dnipro-Arena31,003DniproDnipro
Dnipro-1
1940
5Butovsky Vorskla Stadium24,795PoltavaVorskla Poltava1951
6Slavutych-Arena11,883ZaporizhzhiaMetalurh Zaporizhya
Zorya Luhansk
1938

Attendance

ImageSize = width:950 height:280PlotArea = left:50 right:20 top:25 bottom:30TimeAxis = orientation:verticalAlignBars = lateColors = id:linegrey2 value:gray(0.9) id:linegrey value:gray(0.7) id:blue value:rgb(0.1,0.4,0.9)DateFormat = yyyyPeriod = from:0 till:13000ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5000 start:0 gridcolor:linegreyScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1000 start:0 gridcolor:linegrey2PlotData = color:blue width:20 align:left bar:1992 from:0 till:5703 bar:92/93 from:0 till:5985 bar:93/94 from:0 till:5887 bar:94/95 from:0 till:5546 bar:95/96 from:0 till:5920 bar:96/97 from:0 till:5800 bar:97/98 from:0 till:5879 bar:98/99 from:0 till:7588 bar:99/00 from:0 till:8089 bar:00/01 from:0 till:9339 bar:01/02 from:0 till:9702 bar:02/03 from:0 till:7413 bar:03/04 from:0 till:7727 bar:04/05 from:0 till:7304 bar:05/06 from:0 till:7918 bar:06/07 from:0 till:9050 bar:07/08 from:0 till:8517 bar:08/09 from:0 till:7587 bar:09/10 from:0 till:9036 bar:10/11 from:0 till:9235 bar:11/12 from:0 till:11296 bar:12/13 from:0 till:12628 bar:13/14 from:0 till:11286 bar:14/15 from:0 till:6176 bar:15/16 from:0 till:5008 bar:16/17 from:0 till:4281 bar:17/18 from:0 till:3922 bar:18/19 from:0 till:4156 bar:19/20 from:0 till:4221PlotData= textcolor:black fontsize:S bar:1992 at: 5703 text: 5.703 shift:(-13,5) bar:92/93 at: 5985 text: 5.985 shift:(-13,5) bar:93/94 at: 5887 text: 5.887 shift:(-13,5) bar:94/95 at: 5546 text: 5.546 shift:(-13,5) bar:95/96 at: 5920 text: 5.920 shift:(-13,5) bar:96/97 at: 5800 text: 5.800 shift:(-13,5) bar:97/98 at: 5879 text: 5.879 shift:(-13,5) bar:98/99 at: 7588 text: 7.588 shift:(-13,5) bar:99/00 at: 8089 text: 8.089 shift:(-13,5) bar:00/01 at: 9339 text: 9.339 shift:(-13,5) bar:01/02 at: 9702 text: 9.702 shift:(-13,5) bar:02/03 at: 7413 text: 7.413 shift:(-13,5) bar:03/04 at: 7727 text: 7.727 shift:(-13,5) bar:04/05 at: 7304 text: 7.304 shift:(-13,5) bar:05/06 at: 7918 text: 7.918 shift:(-13,5) bar:06/07 at: 9050 text: 9.050 shift:(-13,5) bar:07/08 at: 8517 text: 8.517 shift:(-13,5) bar:08/09 at: 7587 text: 7.587 shift:(-13,5) bar:09/10 at: 9036 text: 9.036 shift:(-13,5) bar:10/11 at: 9235 text: 9.235 shift:(-13,5) bar:11/12 at: 11296 text: 11.296 shift:(-15,5) bar:12/13 at: 12628 text: 12.628 shift:(-15,5) bar:13/14 at: 11286 text: 11.286 shift:(-15,5) bar:14/15 at: 6176 text: 6.176 shift:(-13,5) bar:15/16 at: 5008 text: 5.008 shift:(-13,5) bar:16/17 at: 4281 text: 4.281 shift:(-13,5) bar:17/18 at: 3922 text: 3.922 shift:(-13,5) bar:18/19 at: 4156 text: 4.156 shift:(-13,5) bar:19/20 at: 4221 text: 4.221 shift:(-13,5)Source:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Hunchenko, O., Kazakov, V., Kulikovska, O. Historic and geographic characteristics of football development in Ukraine (ІСТОРИКО-ГЕОГРАФІЧНІ ОСОБЛИВОСТІ РОЗВИТКУ ФУТБОЛУ В УКРАЇНІ)
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20170117003003/http://pfl.ua/pfl_title.php Historic profile
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20170117004012/http://uateka.com/uk/article/years/2007/1056 There was adopted a decision on creation of the football Premier League of Ukraine (Прийнято рішення про створення футбольної Прем'єр-ліги України)
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20170117004633/http://www.champion.com.ua/football/2008/05/27/117531/ In Ukraine was created Premier League (В Україні створено Прем’єр-лігу)
  5. https://www.unian.ua/sport/832048-opituvannya-dinamo-viperedjae-shahtar-za-populyarnistyu.html Poll: Dynamo is ahead of Shakhtar in popularity (Опитування: "Динамо" випереджає "Шахтар" за популярністю)
  6. http://www.kick-off.by/cis/ukr_d1win.htm Ukrainian football championship
  7. Igor Nitsak. The "Soyuz-Viktan" group of companies became a partner of the Ukrainian championship as well as the Ukraine national and youth teams (Группа компаний «Союз-Виктан» стала партнером Чемпионата Украины, а также национальной и молодежной команд страны) . Sport.ua. 20 July 2006
  8. https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1700488 "Soyuz-Viktan" became a title sponsor of Ukrainian football championship ("Союз-Виктан" стал титульным спонсором ЧУ по футболу)
  9. Godskiy. Everyone gets own (Каждому свое) . Football.ua / Opinion column. 24 July 2007
  10. http://pressing.net.ua/Monitoring/Analitika/389542000/Lev-v-sobstvennom-soku A lion in its own juice (Лев в собственном соку)
  11. https://korrespondent.net/sport/159295-chempionat-ukrainy-poluchil-titulnogo-sponsora The Ukrainian championship received its title sponsor (Чемпионат Украины получил титульного спонсора)
  12. https://zn.ua/LAW/rukovoditeli_firmy_soyuz-viktan_prigovoreny_k_15_godam_lisheniya_svobody.html The leaders of the "Soyuz-Viktan" firm were convicted to 15 years of imprisonment (РУКОВОДИТЕЛИ ФИРМЫ «СОЮЗ-ВИКТАН» ПРИГОВОРЕНЫ К 15 ГОДАМ ЛИШЕНИЯ СВОБОДЫ)
  13. Andrei Dneprov. The Ukrainian vodka "Soyuz-Viktan" will be taught to respected the Russian laws (Украинскую водку «Союз-Виктан» научат уважать российские законы? (ФОТО)) . Newdaynews.ru. 1 March 2007
  14. Aleksandr Khlepytko. Evolution of the UPL emblem: from "Epitsentr" to bookmakers (Эволюция эмблемы УПЛ: от «Эпицентра» до букмекеров) . Tribuna.com. 7 August 2019
  15. https://sport.ua/news/49926-epitsentr-titulniy-sponsor-chempionata-ukrainy-po-futbolu "Epitsentr" is a title sponsor of the Ukrainian football championship («ЭпиЦентр» – Титульный спонсор Чемпионата Украины по футболу)
  16. https://www.championat.com/football/news-101656-titulnyj-sponsor-chempionata-ukrainy-zaplatit-bolee-5-mln.html A title sponsor of the Ukrainian championship will pay more than $5 million (Титульный спонсор чемпионата Украины заплатит более ? 5 млн)
  17. Oleg Barkov. The official name of the 2015–16 Ukrainian championship is "Liha Pari-Match" (Официальное название чемпионата Украины в сезоне 2015/16 – "Лига Пари-Матч") . Footboom. 17 June 2015
  18. https://football.ua/ukraine/274194-liga-pari-match-43-mln-griven-za-dva-goda.html The Liha Pari-Match: 43 million hryvnias for two years (Лига Пари-Матч: 43 млн гривен за два года)
  19. https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/high/1448996046-pari-match-lishen-vozmozhnosti-vypolnyat-finansovye-obyazatelstva-pered-premer-ligoy.html The Pari-Match was deprived of the opportunity to carry out financial obligations for the Premier League (Пари-Матч лишен возможности выполнять финансовые обязательства перед Премьер-лигой)
  20. Web site: Сергей Харченко: «Рынок единых коммерческих прав Чемпионата Украины на данный момент разрушен» . 16 July 2009 . 1 July 2021 . 30 June 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150630014604/http://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/news/1247730649-sergey-harchenko-rynok-edinyh-kommercheskih-prav-chempionata-ukrainy-na-dannyy-moment-razrushen.html . live .
  21. Web site: «ЭпиЦентр» – Титульный спонсор Чемпионата Украины по футболу . 1 July 2021 . 29 June 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150629162246/http://football.sport.ua/news/49926 . live .
  22. Web site: Сеть гипермаркетов «Эпицентр» стала титульным спонсором сборной Украины по футболу . 1 July 2021 . 29 June 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150629135103/http://interfax.com.ua/news/sport/137038.html . live .
  23. Web site: Состоялась презентация Лиги Пари-Матч 2015/2016. Объединение профессиональных футбольных клубов Украины «Премьер-лига». FPL.ua Официальный веб-сайт Объединения профессиональных футбольных клубов Украины «Премьер-лига»]. ru. 25 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150629191914/http://fpl.ua/rus/news/news_fpl/6373/. dead. 2015-06-29.
  24. Web site: Чемпионат Украины сменил логотип и теперь называется Favbet лига. football.ua. 2020-01-24. 11 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210711060321/https://football.ua/ukraine/398366-chempionat-ukrainy-smenil-logotip-i-teper-nazyvaetsja-favbet-liga.html. live.
  25. Web site: Официально: Титульным спонсором УПЛ стала букмекерская компания VBET. July 2021 . UA-Football. 2021-07-01. 27 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230927010149/https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/high/1625160159-oficialno-titulnym-sponsorom-upl-stala-bukmekerskaya-kompaniyavbet.html. live.
  26. Volodymyr Mylenko. The Ukrainian quarter. The 1991, where who wants to play? (Украинский квотер. 1991, где кто хочет играть?) . UA-Football. 14 April 2016
  27. Mykola Motornyi. Ukraine: "A breakthrough into the independence" (Украина: "Прорыв в независимость") . Fanat.ua.
  28. https://web.archive.org/web/20171118174829/http://www.upl.ua/news/view/1448 At first there was a decision... (Спочатку було рішення…)
  29. Ukrainian Championship: breakthrough or beginning of the end? (Чемпіонат України з футболу: прорив чи початок кінця?) . BBC News Ukrainian. 11 June 2013
  30. Mid-table clubs of Ukrainian Premier League are reducing players' salaries («Середняки» Української Прем'єр Ліги знижують зарплати футболістів) . Ukrinform. 12 July 2013
  31. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2015/06/19/ukraine-revives-crimean-champion-football-club/28970971/ Ukraine trying to revive Crimean champion football club
  32. Shakhtar equaled Real, Barcelona and PSG: the most dominating European clubs (Шахтар став в один ряд з Реалом, Барселоною і ПСЖ: найбільш домінуючі клуби Європи) . Football 1. 20 June 2020
  33. Number of participating clubs in the UPL will increase to 16 for the 2021/22 season (Кількість клубів-учасників УПЛ у сезоні 2021/22 зросте до 16) . Ukrainian Association of Football. 10 July 2020
  34. News: 2022-04-27 . Ukraine league season terminated due to martial law . en . Reuters . 2022-04-27 . 27 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220427113936/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/ukraine-league-season-terminated-due-martial-law-2022-04-27/ . live .
  35. Web site: Danylov re-elected as president of Ukrainian football premier league – Dec. 02, 2009. 2 December 2009. KyivPost. 21 June 2021. 8 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231108105307/https://www.kyivpost.com/post/9978. live.
  36. Web site: Официально. Владимир Генинсон – новый президент УПЛ. 29 February 2016. iSport.ua. 21 June 2021. 27 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230927011122/https://isport.ua/football/ukraine/391772-oficialno-vladimir-geninson-novyj-prezident-upl. live.
  37. Web site: Томас ГРИММ: "УПЛ получит нового президента 6 апреля". СПОРТ.UA. 2 May 2020. 27 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230927020854/https://sport.ua/news/471064-tomas-grimm-upl-poluchit-novogo-prezidenta-6-aprelya. live.
  38. https://1927.kiev.ua/news/126613-igor-ciganik-a-strasenno-zlusa-koli-mene-nazivaut-televeducim-ci-komentatorom Ihor Tsyhanyk: "I get awfully angry when I get named as television presenter or commentator (Ігор Циганик: «Я страшенно злюся, коли мене називають телеведучим чи коментатором»)
  39. Web site: Дикий офіційно став повноправним керівником УПЛ. 23 May 2023. sportarena.com. 26 July 2023. 26 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230726060845/https://sportarena.com/uk/footboll/upl/dikij-ofitsijno-stav-povnopravnim-kerivnikom-upl/. live.
  40. Web site: Дикий сів на електричний стілець УПЛ. Його зроблять винним у всьому, хоча призначення голови ліги нічого не змінює. 23 May 2023. ua.tribuna.com. 26 July 2023. 26 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230726062423/https://ua.tribuna.com/uk/blogs/overtime/3079390-dykyj-siv-na-elektrychnyj-stilecz-upl-jogo-zroblyat-vynnym-u-v/. live.
  41. Web site: «Он поднял этот вопрос»: новый глава УПЛ Дикий назвал президента клуба, который инициировал его избрание. 23 May 2023. fanday.net. 26 July 2023. 26 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230726063415/https://fanday.net/news/on-podnyal-etot-vopros-novyi-glava-upl-dikii-nazval-prezidenta-kluba-kotoryi-iniciiroval-ego-izbranie. live.
  42. https://football.ua/ukraine/72745-u-upl-novyjj-generalnyjj-dyrektor.html In the UPL is a new general director (У УПЛ новый генеральный директор)
  43. https://sportarena.com/uk/footboll/upl/shahtar-vistupiv-proti-proektu-yevropejskoyi-superligi/ Шахтар виступив проти проекту Європейської Суперліги
  44. https://www.ua-football.com/ua/ukrainian/high/1703245864-shahtar-ne-pidtrimuye-stvorennya-yevropeyskoyi-superligi.html Шахтар не підтримує створення європейської Суперліги
  45. https://sport.ua/uk/news/658313-ukrainskiy-klub-vistupiv-proti-yevropeyskoi-superligi Український клуб виступив проти Європейської Суперліги
  46. Web site: Ukrainian Premier League. 21 June 2021. 13 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190713005856/https://europeanleagues.com/member/ukrainian-premier-league/. live.
  47. http://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/high/51fbb5ce.html Lausanne announced a verdict on the game Karpaty – Metalist (Лозанна озвучила вердикт по матчу "Карпаты" – "Металлист")
  48. http://www.tas-cas.org/d2wfiles/document/6999/5048/0/Media20Release20_English_20Metalist.pdf Football – Match Fixing
  49. http://prosport.tsn.ua/sport/chi-stane-dinamo-dvozirkovim.html Will Dynamo have two stars?
  50. http://ua.interfax.com.ua/news/general/72912.html FC Dynamo Kyiv has a new emblem
  51. https://upl.ua/ua/news/view/4262 "Dnipro-1" is the owner of the Prestige trophy for the 2019–20 season («Дніпро-1» – володар Трофею престижу сезону 2019/20 років!)
  52. https://web.archive.org/web/20231114131820/https://upl.ua/ua/news/view/8122 350th match of Taras Stepanenko in UPL
  53. http://allplayers.in.ua/en/top_players Ukrainian football championship – List of players with 200 or more appearances since 1992
  54. https://web.archive.org/web/20201229231255/https://upl.ua/ua/news/view/4869 Navigation through national records (Орієнтири на національні рекорди)
  55. http://allplayers.in.ua/en/top_scorers Ukrainian football championship – all scorers since 1992
  56. https://upl.ua/ua/news/view/8264 «Найсухіші» воротарі УПЛ
  57. Web site: Украинский футбол от Дмитрия Трощия . www.uafootball.net.ua . 24 October 2010 . 24 July 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724031925/http://www.uafootball.net.ua/trenery_all.htm . live .
  58. Web site: Украинский футбол от Дмитрия Трощия . upl.ua . 9 January 2024 . 9 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240109180949/https://upl.ua/ua/news/view/8267 . live .
  59. http://ukr-football.org.ua/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=7&Itemid=8 Grand tournament table of the Ukrainian Championship (1992-2015)
  60. http://uafootball.net.ua/statistika.htm Summarized table of championships
  61. http://wildstat.ru/p/2101/cht/2/stat/summary Summarized table of all years
  62. https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/news/1541003118-metallist-s-dolgom-112-mln-griven-vozglavil-antireyting-ukrainskih-predpriyatiy-dolzhnikov.html Metalist with a debt of 112 million hryvnia is heading the ranking of Ukrainian most indebted enterprises (Металлист с долгом 112 млн гривен возглавил рейтинг украинских предприятий-должников)
  63. https://www.ua-football.com/ua/ukrainian/high/1461575689-metalistu-goverli-i-volini-vidmovleno-v-atestaciyi-dnipro-dopuscheniy-do-chempionatu.html (Металісту, Говерлі і Волині відмовлено в атестації, Дніпро – допущений до чемпіонату)
  64. https://sport.ua/news/191207-ffu-lishila-krivbass-litsenzii FFU deprived Kryvbas of license (ФФУ лишила Кривбасс лицензии)
  65. https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/first/1277283573-atestat-fk-harkiv-vidklikaniy.html The license of FC Kharkiv is withdrawn
  66. On 29 October 2013, the general director of FC Arsenal Kyiv Viktor Holovko announced that the club was filing for bankruptcy and withdrawing from competitions as it was unable to find any sponsors. Web site: Arsenal Kyiv director general says club out of all competitions, bankruptcy procedures launched. Interfax-Ukraine. 1 November 2013. 6 September 2021. 3 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103054523/http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/sport/173045.html. live. Web site: FC Arsenal (Kyiv) starts bankruptcy procedure, drops out of competition, says director. Interfax-Ukraine. 31 October 2013. 6 September 2021. 3 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103054446/http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/sport/172722.html. live.
    The General Assembly of the Ukrainian Premier League was unable to reach a quorum and hence no decision was made on the expulsion of the club from the UPL.Web site: http://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/high/52b1a719.html. uk:Гендиректор УПЛ пояснив, чому Данілов не приїхав на Загальні збори. ua-football.com. 18 December 2013. General Director of UPL explained why Danilov did not come to the General Assembly. uk. 6 September 2021. 18 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141018230950/http://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/high/52b1a719.html. live. (18 December 2013)
    On 12 February 2014 Arsenal Kyiv was officially expelled from the league and all club's results were annulled.Web site: Decision #53 League Directory. 12 February 2014. uk. 8 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222020002/http://www.fpl.ua/img/docs/1314/d/53_12.02.2014.pdf. 22 February 2014. dead.
  67. https://www.ua-football.com/ua/ukrainian/first/1563854803-arsenal-kiyiv-prodovzhit-isnuvannya-ale-bez-profesiynoyi-komandi.html Арсенал-Киев продолжит существование, но без профессиональной команды
  68. https://football24.ua/eks_sportdirektor_zaporizkogo_metalurga_mayk_snui_hoche_vidsuditi_u_klubu_ponad_15_mln_griven_n422579/ Ex-sports director of Metalurh Zaporizhzhia Mike Snoei wants to sue the club more than 15 mln hryvnia (Екс-спортдиректор запорізького Металурга Майк Снуі хоче відсудити у клубу понад 15 млн гривень)
  69. In 1999 play-off match was held for the first time in the Vyshcha Liha history. It was introduced because of Torpedo's collapse (В 1999 впервые в истории Высшей лиги состоялся стыковой матч. Его придумали из-за развала Торпедо) . UA-Football. 25 May 2020
  70. How and why after-seasons were played in Ukrainian football (Як і чому гралися післясезоння в українському футболі) . UA-Football. 25 May 2020
  71. UAF Executive Committee approved a system of team exchange between leagues at the conclusion of 2019/2020 season (Виконком УАФ затвердив систему обміну команд між лігами за підсумками сезону-2019/2020) . Ukrainian Association of Football. 25 May 2020