In the 2024/25 season, football clubs from Cherkasy and Zhytomyr made their debut in the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL), marking a historic breakthrough for these regional centers. As a result, the number of regional capitals in Ukraine that have never had a team in the country’s top division has dropped to three: Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, and Kherson, reports the Baltimore Chronicle.
Cherkasy’s club LNZ, originally founded in the village of Lebedyn in the Zvenyhorod district, began its journey in professional football from the Second League in the 2021/22 season. After relocating to Cherkasy, the team gradually advanced and earned promotion to the UPL in the 2022/23 season. Previously, Cherkasy had football clubs such as Dnipro and FC Cherkasy that came close to top-tier football, but none managed to secure a lasting spot in the elite division.
Zhytomyr’s “Polissya” also joined the UPL for the first time in the 2023/24 season. The club had several attempts to reach the top in the 1990s and 2000s, but only recently achieved this goal. With renewed infrastructure and substantial investment, including the reconstruction of the central stadium, “Polissya” has secured its place among Ukraine’s football elite.
Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, and Kherson remain the only regional centers never represented in the UPL. Khmelnytskyi’s “Podillya” currently plays in the First League, but has yet to show results strong enough to earn promotion. Sumy has a rich footballing past, with clubs like “Yavir” and “Frunzenets”, yet none have made it to the top league. Kherson’s “Krystal” also failed to secure a place in the higher tiers and recently suspended operations due to the challenging situation in the region.
In total, 47 clubs from regional capitals and other cities have participated in the UPL throughout the history of Ukrainian football. Donetsk region, Kyiv, Lviv, and Kharkiv have had the largest representation. However, recent years show a growing trend of clubs from smaller cities entering the spotlight, reflecting the nationwide development of football.
Earlier we wrote that England may host IPL after suspension caused by border conflict.