The KFS Premier-Liga () or simply Crimean Premier League is a professional football league in Crimea organized by the Crimean Football Union (Krymsky Futbolny Soyuz) and devised by Russia in the wake of the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea.A Crimean league? Football caught up in annexation struggle. The Guardian. 20 March 2015
For full list of Crimean champions, see Republican Football Federation of Crimea. the legal status of Crimean Football Union is not recognized by the Ukrainian Association of Football. The professional status of the league could not be verified initially. Despite restrictions from UEFA, in 2023 teams were admitted to the Russian third tier competitions, while other teams joined the so called Sodruzhestvo Liga (Commonwealth League) or later created Crimean Open Championship. Such step placed the league inside the Russian football league system.
Status The league was formed by UEFA delegation that is led by former president of the Slovak Football Association František Laurinec. Five teams have never participated at professional level and according to the official UEFA evaluation the region has a poor football infrastructure. According to Laurinec "UEFA wants to help save football in Crimea." Ukrainian officials do not seem to be strongly against the separate league in Crimea, but do remain firm in their stance that Crimea is part of Ukraine. In 2016 Vyacheslav Koloskov expressed his opinion that UEFA is not considering to grant Crimea a membership.Koloskov: UEFA is not considering to include CFU in the Union, but rather its integration into the Russian football (Колосков: УЕФА думает не о включении КФС в Союз, а об его интеграции в российский футбол). TASS. 4 May 2016 The president of the Crimean Football Union responded to Koloskov by saying that UEFA has two ways of solving the issue, either recognize Crimea as part of the Russian Federation or grant a membership like in case with Kosovo.Vetokha: Crimean Football Union could join UEFA as in case with Kosovo (Ветоха: Крымский футбольный союз может войти в УЕФА по примеру Косово). RIA Novosti. 4 May 2016 There was an opinion that the Crimean football union can become an independent member of UEFA just like the Gibraltar Football Association.
Just like its funding, most of the league's players come from the Russian mainland, although it does field some local players. A couple of Brazilian and Ukrainian players who chose to play in the league are under a risk of personal sanctions from the Ukrainian Association of Football. In its third season attendance of the Crimean Premier League varied from about 3,500 spectators at one match to 300 at others. A promotion/relegation game on 7 June 2018 where entrance was free gathered no more than 400 spectators. President of FC Avangard Yalta Igor Kashpirko acknowledged that some players, besides playing football, work elsewhere.
History The first competitive match was a 2–2 draw between SKChF Sevastopol and TSK-Tavria Simferopol in August 2015. TSK and SKCHF are relatively independent financially, while the rest six clubs in Crimea are financed by the Ministry of Sport of Russian Federation, according to a local journalist.Dubas, M. Ukraine's soccer clubs perform in European competitions. The Ukrainian Weekly. 13 November 2015 There also were intentions to invite former Russian international football player Andrei Kanchelskis to coach one of the clubs in Crimea.European leagues and cups. UEFA website. 17 April 2016
Member clubs
Club City/Town Officialwebsite Years Formernames Status Bakhchisaray Bakhchysarai fc-bakhchisaray.ru 2015–2017 Dissolved, merged with KFU Simferopol Berkut Armiansk pfcberkut.ru 2015–2016 Ahrokapital Suvorovske Dissolved (former Ukrainian amateur club) Favorite-VD-Kafa Feodosia kafagoleador.ucoz.net 2015–2018, 2019-2021 Kafa Feodosia Relegated in 2018, Promoted in 2019, merged with Aluston Alushta Rubin Yalta rubinyalta.ru 2015–2018Admitted to the Russian Second League in 2023 Ocean Kerch oceanfc.ru Since 2015 (former Ukrainian professional club) Sevastopol Sevastopol fcsevastopol.ru Since 2015 SKChF SevastopolAdmitted to the Russian Second League in 2023 TSK Simferopol Simferopol fctsk.ru Since 2015 Yevpatoriya Yevpatoria fcevpatoriya.ru Since 2015 Krymteplitsa Molodizhne fc-kt.ru Since 2016 Reorganized into Sparta-KT in 2021 (former Ukrainian professional club) Kyzyltash Bakhchysarai kzt.com.ru Since 2017 originally based in Yalta Promoted in 2017, originally as a futsal club Gvardeyets Gvardeyskoye Since 2018 Promoted in 2018 (former Ukrainian amateur club) Inkomsport Yalta 2018-2019 Promoted in 2018, relegated in 2019 Alushta Alushta 2015 Promoted in 2019, reorganized in 2024 as Alushta-KFU Chernomorets Sevastopol 2012 Promoted in 2023 (former Ukrainian professional club)
Champions SeasonWinnerRunner-up Third place TeamsRef 2015 (promo) SKChF Sevastopol Gvardeets Gvardeyskoe N/A 20 2015–16 TSK-Tavria Simferopol SKChF Sevastopol Bakhchisaray 8 2016–17 Sevastopol Krymteplitsa Molodizhne Yevpatoriya 8 2017–18 Yevpatoriya Sevastopol TSK-Tavria Simferopol 8 2018–19 Sevastopol TSK-Tavria Simferopol Krymteplitsa Molodizhne 8 2019–20 Yevpatoriya Krymteplitsa Molodizhne Sevastopol 8 2020–21 Sevastopol Gvardeets Gvardeyskoe Yevpatoriya 8 2021–22 TSK-Tavria Simferopol Sevastopol Aluston-YUBK Alushta 8 2022 Sevastopol Rubin Yalta Ocean Kerch 8 2023 Tavria Simferopol FC Kyzyltash Ocean Kerch 8 2024 Tavria Simferopol Sparta-KT FC Kyzyltash 8 2025 FC Kyzyltash Tavria Simferopol Zarechnoye 8
See also Republican Football Federation of Crimea Football in Crimea Crimea national football team Crimean Tatars national football team
Notes
References
External links Official website