The tournament will be held in a classic format in two circles – 30 rounds. 16 clubs will be included in the fight for the championship and 4 European Cup.
The championship title will protect Dynamo Kyiv, which last season guaranteed a victory in advance, having passed the season without defeats.
Shakhtar Donetsk, which last season, was only third in the UPL, won the Cup of Ukraine.
In the new season, 4 UPL clubs represent Ukraine in European Cups. Dynamo is in the qualification of the Champions League, Shakhtar is trying to break into the main round of the Europa League. “Alexandria” and Zhytomyr Polesie began in the League of Conferences.
They dream of getting to the European Cup zone of Kryvyi Rih Kryvbas, Lugansk Zorya, Lviv “Carpathians” and “Movement”.
They seek to declare themselves even louder “Heather” Rivne, “Kolos” Kovalivka, “Obolon” Kiev, LNZ Cherkasy.
The ambitial “Metalist 1925” from Kharkiv returned to the elite, and three clubs have the status of UPL debutants: “Epicenter”, “Poltava” and “Kudrovka”.
Teams that will take 15th and 16th places will fly to the first league. For clubs that will be in the 13th and 14th positions, there is a playoffs for survival with the teams of the second division.
Despite the war, UPL remains an important component of the country’s sports life. Many clubs are still forced to play home matches in neutral stadiums, but this does not reduce interest in the tournament. Football continues to be a factor that helps Ukrainians for two hours to get away from reality and believe in victory – not only on the field but also on the front.
The season starts on August 1, and the first round promises to give the audience some bright confrontations.
UPL 2025/26. Schedule of 1st round matches
- August 1. 15:30. Colossus – Kryvbas
- August 1. 18:00. Movement – Poltava
- August 2. 15:30. Heather – Dynamo
- August 2. 18:00. Dawn – LNZ
- August 3. 13:00. Kudrovka – Alexandria
- August 3. 15:30. Epicenter – Shakhtar
- August 3. 18:00. Carpathians – Polesie
- August 4th. 18:00. Metalist 1925 – Obolon
UPL participating teams
Source: Sport.ua