Football that shaped the nation. Exhibits that changed the course of history. For the first time abroad — a unique project with over 200 exhibits that will tell the world about Ukrainian football, its formation, development, and contribution to Ukraine’s struggle during the war.
Andriy ShevchenkoFrom June 5 to June 10 (from 10:00 to 20:00) the exhibition “Ukrainian Football: The Game Goes On” will take place at Trident Centre in Toronto. The exhibition is organized by the Ukraine Football Association within the Canadian Shield tournament, where the Ukrainian national team will play. Among the exhibits are unique artifacts that have never left the borders of Ukraine and have not been displayed together.
“We will bring a part of the soul of Ukrainian football to Canada. For the first time in history, it has been possible to gather unique artifacts from various collections in one place to show the world how football reflects our struggle, memory, and unity. This is a tribute to those who have supported the national team overseas for years, and at the same time — a powerful cultural message. We want people beyond Ukraine to see how football has become not just a game, but a part of the DNA of the nation — and how it continues, even in times of war,” commented UAF President Andriy Shevchenko on the event.
“In June, Toronto will host a true celebration of Ukrainian football. The national team’s game and the opening of the first foreign exhibition of football artifacts in history. These are not just unique events. They are confirmation of the special friendship between Ukraine and Canada, the contribution of the Ukrainian diaspora to the development of both countries. The opening of the exhibition is especially important now, as a significant number of Ukrainians have arrived in Canada, fleeing from the war. Through football, we maintain their connection to Ukraine, and we also tell Canadians about the need for continued support for the Ukrainian struggle,” noted Oleg Nikolenko, the Consul General of Ukraine in Toronto.
What awaits visitors:
This is the first large-scale project about our football, featuring over 200 artifacts from different eras. Among them, for example:
— all jerseys of the Ukrainian national team from the first match in 1992 to the present;
— original coaching notes of the legendary coach of Dynamo and the Ukrainian national team, Valerii Lobanovskyi;
— official European trophies of Dynamo and Shakhtar;
— exhibits from the participation of the Ukrainian national team in Euro and World Cup tournaments, including the jersey in which Andriy Rusol scored the first goal for the blue-and-yellow team in the history of these tournaments at the 2006 World Cup;
— the winning trophy of Euro-2009 (U-19), which took place in Donetsk and Mariupol, won by the Ukrainian youth national team, as well as awards from other youth and junior teams.
Moreover, a separate area will be dedicated to football during the full-scale invasion. This section will feature stories of football players, coaches, and fans who went to defend their homeland, bright facts about support for Ukraine from the football world, as well as documentation of Russian crimes.
The project was organized by the Ukraine Football Association in cooperation with the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada — Toronto branch, as well as the Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto.
Venue: Trident Banquet & Conference Centre (145 Evans Ave, Toronto). Free admission.
Photo: UAF
