On July 22, the UAF Executive Committee met at the Football House to decide how the team that will replace Dnipro-1 in the UPL will be determined.
Photo: UAF press serviceAs a reminder, on July 19, the General Meeting of the Ukrainian Premier League members considered a letter from Dnipro-1 (Dnipro) to withdraw from the competition in the 2024/2025 season and granted its request.
It should be noted that the regulations do not provide for such a situation when a team withdraws from the competition immediately before the start of the season.
Therefore, based on one of the UPL's proposals, which best meets the sporting criteria in this situation, the UAF Executive Committee approved a decision that the team that will replace Dnipro-1 in the UPL will be determined in a transitional tournament with the participation of four clubs (Minaj, Metalist 1925, Livyi Bereh and Epicenter), the winner of which will play in the UPL in the 2024/2025 season.
The tournament will consist of semifinals and the final, which will take place on July 26 and 30. The composition of the semifinal pairs will be determined by blind draw. If the winner is not determined in regular time, a series of post-match penalties will be held immediately. The organization of the matches is entrusted to the UPL with the involvement of PFL representatives. The draw for the semifinal pairs is to be held by the UPL today, July 22.
Regarding the request of Dnipro-1 (Dnipro) to retain its professional status, the club must apply to the PFL for membership in the league and, if the decision is positive, will be granted the right not to participate in this season's competitions with the possibility of returning to PFL competitions next season, subject to obtaining the appropriate certificate.
It should be noted that the UAF Executive Committee also approved the principle that next season the teams that took the last and penultimate places in the UPL cannot, in the event of a similar situation, claim to retain their registration in the elite division. This right will be granted to the clubs that played in the transitional matches. Relevant changes to the regulations should be made in the near future.
