Official name: The Ukrainian Premier League – UPL
Number of participants: 12.
The tournament includes two stages. The first stage comprises 22 matches, in which every team plays with each opponent at home and away. Then the second stage begins, in which first six teams compete for places in European championships, while teams ranked 7–12 find out the club to leave the top division. It’s noteworthy that points scored at the 1st stage transfer to the 2nd stage. The Ukrainian Premier League takes a winter break from December to March.
On the completion of the competition two teams with fewest points drop out to the First League. They are replaced by two best clubs of this division.
The club traditionally gets 3 points for winning a match, 1 point for a draw, a loss does not bring any points. The Ukrainian Premier League Regulations provide additional conditions for determining places in the standings. The following rates are considered in the order of importance: the amount of points scored, goal difference, and the total number of goals. Priority is given to consolidated figures for all matches. If they are equal the same rates in meetings of teams with each other are taken into account. In the process of two clubs results comparison the “Fair play” principle may be applied as well.
The championship winner revealing is held without two clubs comparison, and the champion is defined on the basis of the “golden match” outcomes. The game proceeds until the winner is identified. If at the end of the second half the score remains equal, extra time is awarded. A penalty shootout is also stipulated. Under the rules, such meetings should be organized on a neutral field.
The Football Federation of Ukraine gets two tickets to the Champions League. Only the Premier League winner obtains a direct ticket to the group stage. The vice-champion joins the tournament at the stage of the third qualifying round. The third and fourth championship teams participate in the Europa League competition. The Ukrainian Cup winner also goes to the Europa League. If this team ranks 1–4, the ticket is passed to a finalist. If the finalist is one of the top four teams, then the 5th UPL team goes to the Europa League.
Since 1992, when the first championship of independent Ukraine was held, the number of participating teams changed from 14 to 18. In the 2014/15 season 14 teams instead of 16 like in the previous season take place in the contest. This decision was taken due to the fact that PFC “ Oleksandriya” refused to accept promotion in class and move up to the Premier League. “Stal”, going next, didn’t step up to the top division, too. Thus, only one team went up to the UPL – “Olimpik Donetsk” – to replace three dropped out clubs, namely “Arsenal”, “Tavriya” and “Sevastopol” (the latter refused to participate because of the political situation). In the 2016/17 season the UPL was reduced to 12 teams with an alteration of the format of conduct.
